2026 Best Value Physical & Biological Anthropology Master’s Degree Schools

[Physical & Biological Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/anthropology/physical-and-biological-anthropology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong physical & biological anthropology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for physical & biological anthropology students.
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2026 Best Value Physical & Biological Anthropology Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical & biological anthropology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical & Biological Anthropology Schools
Harvard University tops our 2026 list of the best value physical & biological anthropology schools in the United States. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Physical & Biological Anthropology graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Physical & Biological Anthropology graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in physical & biological anthropology will find it at University Of Nebraska Lincoln, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Typical student debt for physical & biological anthropology graduates is $21,260. Early-career physical & biological anthropology graduates make about $49,755. That is a strong return on a $21,260 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Suny At Binghamton is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical & biological anthropology, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Vestal, Suny At Binghamton is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,567, while out-of-state students pay about $30,447. Typical student debt for physical & biological anthropology graduates is $22,250. Soon after graduation, physical & biological anthropology degree recipients from Suny At Binghamton generally make around $51,766. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Boston University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical & biological anthropology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Students borrow a median of $25,250 to complete the physical & biological anthropology program here. Early-career physical & biological anthropology graduates make about $26,934. Set against $25,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
New York University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value physical & biological anthropology schools. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Physical & Biological Anthropology graduates carry a median of $21,897 in student loans. Early-career physical & biological anthropology graduates make about $64,516. That is a strong return on a $21,897 median debt. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
George Washington University came in at #6 for value in physical & biological anthropology this year. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the physical & biological anthropology program here. Soon after graduation, physical & biological anthropology degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $22,614. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Other Physical & Biological Anthropology Degree Levels
Explore the best-value physical & biological anthropology schools at other degree levels:
View All Physical & Biological 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 · 13 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.