by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/data-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in value, no school beat University Of Phoenix Arizona this year. Set in the city of Phoenix, University Of Phoenix Arizona is a very large private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,552. Value graduates carry a median of $35,323 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $60,453. Set against $35,323 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Northern Arizona University one of the best values for value. Located in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, compared with $20,044 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,645. Early-career value graduates make about $47,056. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Arizona State University one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Value graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $55,876. That is a strong return on a $21,842 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arizona earned it the #4 place for value. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,861. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $50,834. That is a strong return on a $21,861 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.