2027 Best Value General Master’s Degree Schools
[General](/majors/engineering/energy-systems-engineering/general/) 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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Schools
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor tops our 2027 list of the best value general schools in the United States. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Students borrow a median of $19,137 to complete the general program here. General graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. Set against $19,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the general program here. General graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $56,077 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general will find it at Villanova University, which ranked #3. Villanova University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Villanova. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,776. Students borrow a median of $26,184 to complete the general program here. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Villanova University generally make around $72,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Other General Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General rankings across degree levels:
View All General Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
