2027 Best Value Community Health and Preventive Medicine Schools in the Southeast Region

[Community Health and Preventive Medicine](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/community-health-and-preventive-medicine/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for community health and preventive medicine students.
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2027 Best Value Community Health and Preventive Medicine Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the community health and preventive medicine degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Community Health and Preventive Medicine Schools
For return on investment in community health and preventive medicine, no school beat Indian River State College this year. Set in the suburb of Fort Pierce, Indian River State College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,764 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,201. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $44,082. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in community health and preventive medicine will find it at University Of Florida, which ranked #2. University Of Florida is a very large public school located in the city of Gainesville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,381, while out-of-state students pay about $28,659. Typical student debt for community health and preventive medicine graduates is $17,580. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of $42,481 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Florida Online is a great value for students pursuing a degree in community health and preventive medicine, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida Online is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,876, with out-of-state students paying around $16,579. Students borrow a median of $17,580 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Soon after graduation, community health and preventive medicine degree recipients from University Of Florida Online generally make around $30,056. Set against $17,580 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Students looking for strong value in community health and preventive medicine will find it at Eastern Florida State College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Melbourne, Eastern Florida State College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,791, compared with $10,976 for out-of-state students. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $34,462. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Big Sandy Community And Technical College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value community health and preventive medicine schools. Big Sandy Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Prestonsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Students borrow a median of $11,588 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Soon after graduation, community health and preventive medicine degree recipients from Big Sandy Community And Technical College generally make around $33,956. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Louisiana State University Shreveport earned the #6 position for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Set in the city of Shreveport, Louisiana State University Shreveport is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,327. Typical student debt for community health and preventive medicine graduates is $28,907. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates of Louisiana State University Shreveport earn a median of $45,300 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,907 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Murray State University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value community health and preventive medicine schools. Murray State University is a large public school located in the town of Murray. In-state tuition and fees average $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Soon after graduation, community health and preventive medicine degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $38,753. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Murray State University admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of North Florida placed #8 among the best values for community health and preventive medicine. Located in the city of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,964, while out-of-state students pay about $19,407. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates carry a median of $18,523 in student loans. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $49,208. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 53% of applicants are accepted.
Western Kentucky University came in at #9 for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,652, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Typical student debt for community health and preventive medicine graduates is $23,543. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median of $44,778 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,543 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
University Of Memphis earned the #10 position for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,728, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,315 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $52,391. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Mississippi Main Campus earned the #11 position for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Set in the town of University, University Of Mississippi Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,772 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,600. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates carry a median of $22,444 in student loans. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates of University Of Mississippi Main Campus earn a median of $50,876 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,444 median debt. University Of Mississippi Main Campus admits about 97% of applicants.
West Virginia University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value community health and preventive medicine schools. Located in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,104, with out-of-state students paying around $28,608. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $43,076. That is a strong return on a $24,000 median debt. West Virginia University admits about 89% of applicants.
George Mason University placed #13 among the best values for community health and preventive medicine. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Typical student debt for community health and preventive medicine graduates is $22,000. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $52,149. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Georgia College And State University came in at #14 for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Set in the town of Milledgeville, Georgia College And State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,186, with out-of-state students paying around $29,512. Typical student debt for community health and preventive medicine graduates is $27,000. Community Health And Preventive Medicine graduates of Georgia College And State University earn a median of $51,197 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
The University Of Alabama earned the #15 position for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,180 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $34,172. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $35,698. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Mercer University earned the #16 position for value in community health and preventive medicine this year. Mercer University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Macon. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,565. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the community health and preventive medicine program here. Early-career community health and preventive medicine graduates make about $37,646. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 69% 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.