2026 Best Value Acoustics Master’s Degree Schools
[Acoustics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/acoustics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for acoustics students.
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2026 Best Value Acoustics Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in acoustics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Acoustics Schools
Leading the list is Brigham Young University Provo, our #1 best value for acoustics in the United States. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $6,688 in tuition and fees. Acoustics graduates carry a median of $12,184 in student loans. Early-career acoustics graduates make about $68,664. Set against $12,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Pennsylvania State University World Campus one of the best values for acoustics. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,356. Median earnings reach $63,435 ten years out. Pennsylvania State University World Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
New York University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value acoustics schools. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Students borrow a median of $22,750 to complete the acoustics program here. Early-career acoustics graduates make about $44,445. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Other Acoustics Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Acoustics rankings across degree levels:
View All Acoustics Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
