2027 Best Value Data Processing Schools in the Southwest Region
[Data Processing](/majors/computer-information-sciences/data-processing/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for data processing students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Data Processing Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in data processing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Data Processing Schools
For return on investment in data processing, no school beat El Centro College this year. El Centro College is a very large public school located in the city of Dallas. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,730, compared with $6,900 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for data processing graduates is $10,718. Soon after graduation, data processing degree recipients from El Centro College generally make around $38,457. Set against $10,718 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mclennan Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value data processing schools. Mclennan Community College is a large public school located in the city of Waco. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,910. Data Processing graduates carry a median of $11,598 in student loans. Soon after graduation, data processing degree recipients from Mclennan Community College generally make around $40,499. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
San Juan College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value data processing schools. San Juan College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Farmington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,910, with out-of-state students paying around $5,393. Students borrow a median of $16,150 to complete the data processing program here. Early-career data processing graduates make about $41,697. That is a strong return on a $16,150 median debt.
New Mexico State University Dona Ana is a great value for students pursuing a degree in data processing, landing the #4 spot this year. New Mexico State University Dona Ana is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Las Cruces. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,322, compared with $6,360 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,750 to complete the data processing program here. Early-career data processing graduates make about $38,559. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lee College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value data processing schools. Lee College is a large public school located in the city of Baytown. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,520, compared with $5,045 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for data processing graduates is $10,941. Data Processing graduates of Lee College earn a median of $53,448 early in their careers. Set against $10,941 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lone Star College System landed the #6 spot for data processing value this year. Located in the city of The Woodlands, Lone Star College System is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,664, with out-of-state students paying around $7,512. Data Processing graduates carry a median of $10,425 in student loans. Data Processing graduates of Lone Star College System earn a median of $39,954 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,425 median debt.
Navarro College earned the #7 position for value in data processing this year. Set in the town of Corsicana, Navarro College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,008, compared with $6,578 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for data processing graduates is $13,781. Early-career data processing graduates make about $38,210. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Narrow Data Processing Schools by State
More Data Processing Rankings
View All Data Processing Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
