Finding the Best Value General School for You
The right general school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value General Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
See how we build our rankings
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value General Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
2026 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
Leading the list is Texas A And M University College Station, our #1 best value for general in the United States. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. General graduates carry a median of $20,031 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station generally make around $64,891. That is a strong return on a $20,031 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
A rank of #2 makes Boston University one of the best values for general. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete the general program here. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $63,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lafayette College earned it the #3 place for general. Set in the suburb of Easton, Lafayette College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,648. Typical student debt for general graduates is $16,931. General graduates of Lafayette College earn a median of $59,513 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 31%.
Barnard College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general schools. Located in the city of New York, Barnard College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $69,888. General graduates carry a median of $17,609 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Barnard College generally make around $50,790. That is a strong return on a $17,609 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 13 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.
[General](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/mathematical-economics/general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
