2026 Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Bachelor’s Degree 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 45 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for archaeology & classical studies students.
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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. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Archaeology & Classical Studies graduates carry a median of $14,238 in student loans. Soon after graduation, archaeology & classical studies degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $70,847. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Students looking for strong value in archaeology & classical studies will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Typical student debt for archaeology & classical studies graduates is $19,137. Archaeology & Classical Studies graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,137 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
Other Archaeology & Classical Studies Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Archaeology & Classical Studies rankings across degree levels:
View All Archaeology & Classical Studies 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 · 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.