2026 Best Value Value Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat Texas State Technical College this year. Set in the city of Waco, Texas State Technical College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,212, while out-of-state students pay about $11,812. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Texas State Technical College generally make around $40,747. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Texas Tech University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,852, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $24,271 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $50,332. Set against $24,271 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 73%.
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 · 8 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.
[Value](/majors/engineering-technologies/energy-systems/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
