2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/data-analytics/financial-analytics/) 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 11 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Middle Atlantic 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
University Of Maryland College Park tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,836 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $57,901. Set against $20,836 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
New Jersey Institute Of Technology came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Located in the city of Newark, New Jersey Institute Of Technology is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,974, while out-of-state students pay about $37,664. Value graduates carry a median of $24,755 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $71,549. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Delaware one of the best values for value. University Of Delaware is a very large public school located in the suburb of Newark. Students from in state pay about $16,810 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $24,861. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Delaware generally make around $54,155. Set against $24,861 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Rochester Institute Of Technology one of the best values for value. Located in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,210. Typical student debt for value graduates is $27,491. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Rochester Institute Of Technology generally make around $63,515. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rochester Institute Of Technology admits about 67% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Pennsylvania one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,686. Typical student debt for value graduates is $16,155. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $99,682. That is a strong return on a $16,155 median debt. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
New York University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. Value graduates carry a median of $21,897 in student loans. Value graduates of New York University earn a median of $64,516 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Drexel University earned the #7 position for value in value this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,412 in tuition and fees. Value graduates carry a median of $28,838 in student loans. Value graduates of Drexel University earn a median of $67,556 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Fordham University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bronx. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,470. Value graduates carry a median of $25,643 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $59,403. Set against $25,643 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Fordham University admits about 59% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 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.
