2026 Best Value Cultural Anthropology Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[Cultural Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/anthropology/cultural-anthropology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for cultural anthropology students.
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2026 Best Value Cultural Anthropology Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the cultural anthropology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Cultural Anthropology Schools
University Of Washington Seattle Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value cultural anthropology schools in the United States. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the cultural anthropology program here. Early-career cultural anthropology graduates make about $32,778. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Brigham Young University Hawaii one of the best values for cultural anthropology. Set in the town of Laie, Brigham Young University Hawaii is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,630. Cultural Anthropology graduates of Brigham Young University Hawaii earn a median of $41,461 early in their careers. Brigham Young University Hawaii admits about 47% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in cultural anthropology will find it at East Carolina University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Cultural Anthropology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, cultural anthropology degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $24,228. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri State University Springfield earned it the #4 place for cultural anthropology. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the cultural anthropology program here. Soon after graduation, cultural anthropology degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $27,283. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in cultural anthropology will find it at Boston University, which ranked #5. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Cultural Anthropology graduates carry a median of $25,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, cultural anthropology degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $26,934. Set against $25,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Creighton University came in at #6 for value in cultural anthropology this year. Creighton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Omaha. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,856. Typical student debt for cultural anthropology graduates is $25,831. Soon after graduation, cultural anthropology degree recipients from Creighton University generally make around $64,369. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Creighton University admits about 80% of applicants.
Other Cultural Anthropology Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Cultural Anthropology rankings across degree levels:
View All Cultural Anthropology Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 15 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.
