2026 Best Best Schools in the Southwest Region

Best degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools to find the best for best students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Best Schools in the Southwest Region

Best Schools for Best in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in the Southwest Region.

Top Schools in Best

1

University Of Arizona
Tucson, AZ

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

42 Best Degrees Awarded

$50,834 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than University Of Arizona this year for best. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. University Of Arizona awarded about 42 best degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from University Of Arizona earn around $50,834 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,861 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in best from University Of Arizona

2

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

19 Best Degrees Awarded

$47,056 Median Starting Salary

Northern Arizona University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in best, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. Roughly 61% of students complete a degree within six years here. Northern Arizona University awarded about 19 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $47,056 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,645 to complete this degree. Get the full best details for Northern Arizona University

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 schools evaluated.

• 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.