2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/climate-science/) 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 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
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Featured Value Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BS in Environmental Science
Learn to analyze environmental issues and repair and prevent damage caused by climate change with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Northern Arizona University tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,619 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $21,645 in student loans. Value graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 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.
