2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region

[Value](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/public/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat The University Of Texas At Arlington this year. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public school located in the city of Arlington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,950, compared with $29,582 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $30,941. Value graduates of The University Of Texas At Arlington earn a median of $37,338 early in their careers. Set against $30,941 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Texas At Arlington admits about 80% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Northern Arizona University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, while out-of-state students pay about $20,044. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median of $31,410 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Texas State University San Marcos is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #3 spot this year. Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public school located in the city of San Marcos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,450, compared with $22,930 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Value graduates of Texas State University San Marcos earn a median of $44,774 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Dallas earned it the #4 place for value. The University Of Texas At Dallas is a very large public school located in the city of Richardson. In-state tuition and fees average $14,644, compared with $40,144 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $20,531. Value graduates of The University Of Texas At Dallas earn a median of $58,507 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,531 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Tarleton State University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value value schools. Set in the town of Stephenville, Tarleton State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,302, compared with $18,142 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $23,222. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Tarleton State University generally make around $50,532. Set against $23,222 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.