[Bioinformatics](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/biomathematics-bioinformatics-computational-biology/bioinformatics/) 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 20 schools to find the best return on investment for bioinformatics students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the bioinformatics degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill tops our 2026 list of the best value bioinformatics schools in the Southeast Region. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,994 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Bioinformatics graduates carry a median of $15,117 in student loans. Bioinformatics graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $61,361 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Florida Main Campus earned it the #2 place for bioinformatics. University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Tampa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,410, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,829 to complete the bioinformatics program here. Soon after graduation, bioinformatics degree recipients from University Of South Florida Main Campus generally make around $52,885. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 43%.
Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in bioinformatics, landing the #3 spot this year. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Atlanta. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,058, compared with $34,484 for out-of-state students. Bioinformatics graduates carry a median of $24,323 in student loans. Early-career bioinformatics graduates make about $83,560. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 14%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Georgia earned it the #4 place for bioinformatics. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for bioinformatics graduates is $21,792. Soon after graduation, bioinformatics degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $53,546. That is a strong return on a $21,792 median debt. University Of Georgia admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value bioinformatics schools. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Bioinformatics graduates carry a median of $24,673 in student loans. Soon after graduation, bioinformatics degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $51,799. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
George Mason University landed the #6 spot for bioinformatics value this year. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. Students from in state pay about $14,220 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the bioinformatics program here. Early-career bioinformatics graduates make about $63,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.
Vanderbilt University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value bioinformatics schools. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the bioinformatics program here. Early-career bioinformatics graduates make about $77,997. That is a strong return on a $13,975 median debt. Vanderbilt University admits about 6% of applicants.
Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value bioinformatics schools. Set in the city of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,720 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $39,884. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the bioinformatics program here. Early-career bioinformatics graduates make about $57,000. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
