by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/public-health-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.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general public health schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in general public health, no school beat Columbia Southern University this year. Columbia Southern University is a very large private for-profit school located in the town of Orange Beach. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,224. Students borrow a median of $25,447 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $58,278. Set against $25,447 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general public health will find it at University Of Alabama At Birmingham, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,098, compared with $22,562 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $25,000. Early-career general public health graduates make about $44,505. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #3 makes The University Of Alabama one of the best values for general public health. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $25,000. Early-career general public health graduates make about $35,698. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Students looking for strong value in general public health will find it at Samford University, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Birmingham, Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $40,150 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $21,039 to complete the general public health program here. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from Samford University generally make around $57,501. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
This list is compiled 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 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.