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2026 Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in the Southwest Region

[American U.S. Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/american-us-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong american u.s. studies education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value american u.s. studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in the Southwest Region

2026 Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in the Southwest Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the american u.s. studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools

1

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

$12,223 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,842 Avg Student Debt

$62,668 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in american u.s. studies, no school beat Arizona State University this year. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. American U.s. Studies graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. American U.s. Studies graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of $55,876 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Arizona State University admits about 90% of applicants.

2

The University Of Texas At Austin
Austin, TX

$11,688 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,215 Avg Student Debt

$75,121 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in american u.s. studies will find it at The University Of Texas At Austin, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for american u.s. studies graduates is $22,215. Early-career american u.s. studies graduates make about $38,223. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.

View All American U.S. Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 11 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.