2026 Best Value Anthropology Schools in Oregon
[Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/anthropology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for anthropology students.
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2026 Best Value Anthropology Schools in Oregon
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in anthropology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Anthropology Schools
For return on investment in anthropology, no school beat Portland State University this year. Located in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,118, compared with $29,136 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the anthropology program here. Early-career anthropology graduates make about $34,862. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Portland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Oregon State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in anthropology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Anthropology graduates carry a median of $27,799 in student loans. Early-career anthropology graduates make about $32,573. That is a strong return on a $27,799 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Oregon came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value anthropology schools. Located in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $42,516. Anthropology graduates carry a median of $25,646 in student loans. Anthropology graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $27,775 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Reed College earned it the #4 place for anthropology. Set in the city of Portland, Reed College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,350. Students borrow a median of $21,137 to complete the anthropology program here. Anthropology graduates of Reed College earn a median of $30,588 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Reed College admits about 25% of applicants.
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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
