2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
[Value](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/stem-educational-methods/) 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 6 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat Northern Arizona University this year. Set in the city of Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Students borrow a median of $18,600 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Northern Arizona University generally make around $47,551. Set against $18,600 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wayland Baptist University earned it the #2 place for value. Set in the town of Plainview, Wayland Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,782. Students borrow a median of $31,694 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $38,397. That is a strong return on a $31,694 median debt. Wayland Baptist University admits about 56% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Oral Roberts University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,470. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Oral Roberts University generally make around $41,180. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
