by our College Data Analytics Team
[Finance](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/finance/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong finance education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for finance students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in finance, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked University Of Idaho the best value for a degree in finance in Idaho. Set in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,084 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,320. Students borrow a median of $21,400 to complete the finance program here. Early-career finance graduates make about $46,428. That is a strong return on a $21,400 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Idaho State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Pocatello, Idaho State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,610, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Finance graduates carry a median of $24,640 in student loans. Early-career finance graduates make about $49,121. Set against $24,640 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in finance will find it at Boise State University, which ranked #3. Boise State University is a very large public school located in the city of Boise. Students from in state pay about $9,048 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,788. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $20,000. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Boise State University generally make around $48,712. That is a strong return on a $20,000 median debt. Boise State University admits about 87% of applicants.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.