2027 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in the Southwest Region

[Rhetoric & Composition](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/rhetoric-and-composition/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for rhetoric & composition students.
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2027 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the rhetoric & composition degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools
Our analysis ranked The University Of Texas At El Paso the best value for a degree in rhetoric & composition in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of El Paso, The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,544, with out-of-state students paying around $25,502. Students borrow a median of $19,819 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Rhetoric & Composition graduates of The University Of Texas At El Paso earn a median of $63,112 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,819 median debt. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in rhetoric & composition will find it at University Of Houston Downtown, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston Downtown is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,582, with out-of-state students paying around $17,434. Students borrow a median of $23,925 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Soon after graduation, rhetoric & composition degree recipients from University Of Houston Downtown generally make around $50,595. Set against $23,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in rhetoric & composition will find it at University Of Houston, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,717, while out-of-state students pay about $22,547. Students borrow a median of $21,255 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Soon after graduation, rhetoric & composition degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $57,529. That is a strong return on a $21,255 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in rhetoric & composition will find it at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #4. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for rhetoric & composition graduates is $21,645. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $39,899. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in rhetoric & composition will find it at University Of New Mexico Main Campus, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,140 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,060. Students borrow a median of $14,363 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Soon after graduation, rhetoric & composition degree recipients from University Of New Mexico Main Campus generally make around $33,999. Set against $14,363 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
University Of Arizona landed the #6 spot for rhetoric & composition value this year. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,903 for out-of-state students. Rhetoric & Composition graduates carry a median of $24,822 in student loans. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $34,240. That is a strong return on a $24,822 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Texas State University San Marcos placed #7 among the best values for rhetoric & composition. Located in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $22,930. Students borrow a median of $21,765 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $37,618. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin placed #8 among the best values for rhetoric & composition. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $21,323 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $57,819. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.