2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western 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
For return on investment in value, no school beat Portland State University this year. Set in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,136 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,475 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Portland State University earn a median of $47,717 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,475 median debt. Portland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Washington Seattle Campus, which ranked #2. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $65,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #3. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, compared with $28,707 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $20,361 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $41,118. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Washington University admits about 93% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at California Baptist University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Riverside, California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,228. Typical student debt for value graduates is $28,169. Early-career value graduates make about $51,999. That is a strong return on a $28,169 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Southern California one of the best values for value. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Value graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $75,677 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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/electrical-and-computer-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
