2027 Best Value General Master’s Degree Schools
[General](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Hawaii At Manoa the best value for a degree in general in the United States. Located in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,186, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. General graduates carry a median of $20,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from University Of Hawaii At Manoa generally make around $48,181. Set against $20,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Hawaii At Manoa admits about 87% of applicants.
Texas Tech University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general schools. Texas Tech University is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock. In-state tuition and fees average $11,852, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Students borrow a median of $24,271 to complete the general program here. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $50,332. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value general schools. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Typical student debt for general graduates is $23,393. Early-career general graduates make about $60,004. That is a strong return on a $23,393 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Other General Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General rankings across degree levels:
View All General Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
