2026 Best Value General Master’s Degree Schools
[General](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/criminal-justice-and-corrections/general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 84 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general students.
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2026 Best Value General Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Schools
For return on investment in general, no school beat Purdue University Global this year. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Global is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,101, compared with $14,412 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,137 to complete the general program here. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Purdue University Global generally make around $51,495. Set against $25,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general will find it at Bethel University Tennessee, which ranked #2. Bethel University Tennessee is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of McKenzie. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,712. General graduates carry a median of $24,444 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Bethel University Tennessee generally make around $54,676. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Long Island University C W Post Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general schools. Set in the suburb of Brookville, Long Island University C W Post Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,432. Typical student debt for general graduates is $27,531. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Long Island University C W Post Campus generally make around $31,432. Set against $27,531 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Long Island University C W Post Campus admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Boston University earned it the #4 place for general. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Typical student debt for general graduates is $25,232. Early-career general graduates make about $63,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
University Of New Haven came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general schools. Located in the suburb of West Haven, University Of New Haven is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $47,332 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general graduates is $27,000. General graduates of University Of New Haven earn a median of $57,596 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University Chicago ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general schools. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. General graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. General graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $45,302 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Other General Degree Levels
Explore the best-value general schools at other degree levels:
View All General Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 84 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.
