2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/general/) 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 2 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Northern Arizona University earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in the Southwest Region. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,645. Value graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,645 median debt. Northern Arizona University admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Texas Tech University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,271 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $50,332 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 2 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.
