2026 Best Value Value Schools in Texas
[Value](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/public/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in Texas
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. Set in the city of Arlington, The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,950, with out-of-state students paying around $29,582. Value graduates carry a median of $30,941 in student loans. Value graduates of The University Of Texas At Arlington earn a median of $37,338 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,941 median debt. The University Of Texas At Arlington admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas State University San Marcos earned it the #2 place for value. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Value graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $44,774. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
The University Of Texas At Dallas came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the city of Richardson, The University Of Texas At Dallas is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,644, while out-of-state students pay about $40,144. Value graduates carry a median of $20,531 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Dallas generally make around $58,507. That is a strong return on a $20,531 median debt. The University Of Texas At Dallas admits about 65% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Tarleton State University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Stephenville, Tarleton State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,302, while out-of-state students pay about $18,142. 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 list is compiled 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 · 4 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.
