2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region
[Value](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/stem-educational-methods/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value value schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
University Of South Florida Main Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the Southeast Region. Located in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,410, while out-of-state students pay about $17,324. Typical student debt for value graduates is $20,995. Value graduates of University Of South Florida Main Campus earn a median of $52,532 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Florida Main Campus admits about 43% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $44,877. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Kentucky, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Typical student debt for value graduates is $23,250. Value graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $42,048 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
