2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 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
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the Southwest Region. Set in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,797 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,377. Value graduates carry a median of $23,138 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus generally make around $58,084. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,852 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Value graduates carry a median of $24,271 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $50,332. Set against $24,271 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
