2027 Best Value Latin American Studies Schools in the Southwest Region

[Latin American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/latin-american-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong latin american studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for latin american studies students.
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2027 Best Value Latin American Studies Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the latin american studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Latin American Studies Schools
Rice University tops our 2027 list of the best value latin american studies schools in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,247. Students borrow a median of $11,904 to complete the latin american studies program here. Latin American Studies graduates of Rice University earn a median of $75,299 early in their careers. Set against $11,904 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rice University admits about 8% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in latin american studies will find it at Arizona State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Typical student debt for latin american studies graduates is $21,842. Latin American Studies graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of $55,876 early in their careers. Set against $21,842 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of New Mexico Main Campus one of the best values for latin american studies. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. Students from in state pay about $10,140 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,060. Students borrow a median of $19,250 to complete the latin american studies program here. Early-career latin american studies graduates make about $49,983. That is a strong return on a $19,250 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arizona came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value latin american studies schools. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Latin American Studies graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, latin american studies degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $31,480. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Austin earned it the #5 place for latin american studies. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,215 to complete the latin american studies program here. Soon after graduation, latin american studies degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin generally make around $38,223. That is a strong return on a $22,215 median debt. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.