2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western Region
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat University Of Washington Seattle Campus this year. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. Students from in state pay about $12,973 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Value graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $65,681. Set against $16,481 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 39%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Los Angeles earned it the #2 place for value. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $63,833. Set against $16,097 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Western Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. Value graduates carry a median of $20,361 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $41,118. That is a strong return on a $20,361 median debt. Western Washington University admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Oregon earned it the #4 place for value. Set in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,320, compared with $42,516 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $22,034. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Oregon generally make around $44,628. That is a strong return on a $22,034 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
