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2027 Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools in the Southwest Region

[Systems Science & Theory](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/systems-science-theory/systems-science-and-theory/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for systems science & theory students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools in the Southwest Region

2027 Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools in the Southwest Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in systems science & theory, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools

1

Rice University
Houston, TX

$61,247 In-State Tuition & Fees

$11,904 Avg Student Debt

$89,718 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in systems science & theory, no school beat Rice University this year. Set in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,247. Typical student debt for systems science & theory graduates is $11,904. Systems Science & Theory graduates of Rice University earn a median of $75,299 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.

2

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

$12,223 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,842 Avg Student Debt

$62,668 Median Earnings (10yr)

Arizona State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in systems science & theory, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,223 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for systems science & theory graduates is $21,842. Systems Science & Theory graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of $55,876 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,842 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.

View All Systems Science & Theory Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 2 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.