2026 Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools
[Archaeology & Classical Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/classical-ancient-studies/archaeology-classical-studies/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 45 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value archaeology & classical studies schools.
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Finding the Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies School for You
Where you study archaeology & classical studies affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we developed our Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies 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.
See how we build our rankings
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this 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.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in archaeology & classical studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of California Berkeley the best value for a degree in archaeology & classical studies in the United States. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the archaeology & classical studies program here. Soon after graduation, archaeology & classical studies degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $70,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned it the #2 place for archaeology & classical studies. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,137 to complete the archaeology & classical studies program here. Early-career archaeology & classical studies graduates make about $66,254. That is a strong return on a $19,137 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Madison earned it the #3 place for archaeology & classical studies. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for archaeology & classical studies graduates is $21,813. Archaeology & Classical Studies graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $59,877 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
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 · 45 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
