by our College Data Analytics Team
[Finance & Financial Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/) 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 8 schools to find the best return on investment for finance & financial management students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the finance & financial management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Lake Area Technical Institute the best value for a degree in finance & financial management in South Dakota. Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Watertown. In-state tuition and fees average $6,718. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $17,374. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $40,070. Set against $17,374 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Northern State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance & financial management, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Aberdeen, Northern State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,845, while out-of-state students pay about $11,947. Students borrow a median of $26,143 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from Northern State University generally make around $47,781. That is a strong return on a $26,143 median debt. Northern State University admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of South Dakota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in finance & financial management, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,432, while out-of-state students pay about $12,942. Students borrow a median of $24,320 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Finance & Financial Management graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $49,472 early in their careers. Set against $24,320 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.
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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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.