2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region
[Value](/majors/mathematics-and-statistics/applied-statistics/general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Leading the list is University Of Kentucky, our #1 best value for value in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Students borrow a median of $24,094 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Kentucky generally make around $49,568. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
The University Of Alabama came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,180, while out-of-state students pay about $34,172. Students borrow a median of $24,496 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $50,740. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 7 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.
