by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/philosphy-politics-and-economics/general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value value schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in Michigan. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $19,137. Early-career value graduates make about $66,254. Set against $19,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 16%.
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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.