by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/transportation-infrastructure-planning/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 1 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in value, no school beat Texas Southern University this year. Located in the city of Houston, Texas Southern University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,637, while out-of-state students pay about $21,473. Typical student debt for value graduates is $35,330. Early-career value graduates make about $52,223. Set against $35,330 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 1 school evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.