by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/mathematical-economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 1 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in value, no school beat Boston University this year. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,102 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,232 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Boston University earn a median of $63,598 early in their careers. Set against $25,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
The ranking above is published 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 · 1 school evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.