by our College Data Analytics Team
[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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for data processing students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in data processing, balancing cost against outcomes.
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. In-state tuition and fees average $2,730, compared with $6,900 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for data processing graduates is $10,718. Data Processing graduates of El Centro College earn a median of $38,457 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Lee College one of the best values for data processing. 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. Students borrow a median of $10,941 to complete the data processing program here. Soon after graduation, data processing degree recipients from Lee College generally make around $53,448. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lone Star College System is a great value for students pursuing a degree in data processing, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of The Woodlands, Lone Star College System is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,664, compared with $7,512 for out-of-state students. Data Processing graduates carry a median of $10,425 in student loans. Soon after graduation, data processing degree recipients from Lone Star College System generally make around $39,954. Set against $10,425 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.