2026 Best Value Materials Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region
[Materials Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/materials-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for materials sciences students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Materials Sciences Schools in the Southeast Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the materials sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Materials Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked The University Of Alabama the best value for a degree in materials sciences in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for materials sciences graduates is $24,496. Soon after graduation, materials sciences degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $50,740. That is a strong return on a $24,496 median debt. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
Narrow Materials Sciences Schools by State
More Materials Sciences Rankings
View All Materials Sciences Rankings >
Notes and References
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 · 14 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.
