by our College Data Analytics Team
[Finance](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/finance/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong finance education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes 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 Phoenix Arizona the best value for a degree in finance in Arizona. Located in the city of Phoenix, University Of Phoenix Arizona is a very large private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,552. Students borrow a median of $36,071 to complete the finance program here. Finance graduates of University Of Phoenix Arizona earn a median of $71,589 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $36,071 median debt.
Arizona State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, with out-of-state students paying around $33,139. Finance graduates carry a median of $18,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $63,054. Set against $18,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Northern Arizona University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance, landing the #3 spot this year. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. 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 $20,594 to complete the finance program here. Early-career finance graduates make about $54,005. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Arizona one of the best values for finance. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Typical student debt for finance graduates is $20,628. Finance graduates of University Of Arizona earn a median of $66,427 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in finance will find it at Grand Canyon University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a very large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,508. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the finance program here. Soon after graduation, finance degree recipients from Grand Canyon University generally make around $53,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.