2026 Best Value General Schools
[General](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/anthrozoology/general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for general students.
What’s on this page:
Finding the Best Value General School for You
The general program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we built our Best Value General Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Learn more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value General Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2026 Best Value General Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Schools
Our analysis ranked Colorado State University Fort Collins the best value for a degree in general in the United States. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Students borrow a median of $22,843 to complete the general program here. Early-career general graduates make about $51,693. That is a strong return on a $22,843 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #2 place for general. Located in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,686. Students borrow a median of $16,155 to complete the general program here. General graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $99,682 early in their careers. Set against $16,155 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 5%.
Beacon College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Leesburg, Beacon College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,680. Graduates go on to earn a median of $29,420 ten years after entry. The acceptance rate is 44%.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to General. See all related 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 · 5 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.
