[Archeology](/majors/social-sciences/archeology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 84 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for archeology students.
Where you study archeology affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we built our Best Value Archeology Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Archeology Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Leading the list is University Of Washington Seattle Campus, our #1 best value for archeology 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, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete the archeology program here. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus generally make around $65,681. Set against $16,481 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Georgia one of the best values for archeology. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $21,792. Early-career archeology graduates make about $53,546. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in archeology will find it at Pima Community College, which ranked #3. Pima Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. In-state tuition and fees average $2,442, compared with $7,758 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $10,655. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from Pima Community College generally make around $40,977. Set against $10,655 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Palomar College earned it the #4 place for archeology. Palomar College is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,354, with out-of-state students paying around $10,650. Median earnings reach $42,300 ten years out.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Brigham Young University Provo earned it the #5 place for archeology. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Students borrow a median of $12,184 to complete the archeology program here. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $54,507. Set against $12,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin La Crosse placed #6 among the best values for archeology. Set in the city of La Crosse, University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,070, while out-of-state students pay about $19,517. Students borrow a median of $23,008 to complete the archeology program here. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin La Crosse generally make around $29,547. That is a strong return on a $23,008 median debt. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse admits about 76% of applicants.
University Of Massachusetts Boston placed #7 among the best values for archeology. Set in the city of Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,898, with out-of-state students paying around $38,115. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $26,236. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Boston generally make around $52,885. Set against $26,236 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus landed the #8 spot for archeology value this year. Located in the town of Indiana, Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,380, while out-of-state students pay about $16,297. Archeology graduates carry a median of $26,513 in student loans. Archeology graduates of Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earn a median of $42,972 early in their careers. Set against $26,513 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
Western Washington University earned the #9 position for value in archeology this year. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,582 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $20,361. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $24,061. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Charleston landed the #10 spot for archeology value this year. College Of Charleston is a large public school located in the city of Charleston. In-state tuition and fees average $12,978, while out-of-state students pay about $38,296. Archeology graduates carry a median of $24,733 in student loans. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $40,222. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value archeology schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Archeology graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Early-career archeology graduates make about $58,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
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 6 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).
[Archeology](/majors/social-sciences/archeology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
