by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/engineering-technologies/energy-systems/) 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 13 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Ferris State University earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in Michigan. Located in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,778. Students borrow a median of $20,308 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Ferris State University earn a median of $67,764 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
This list is compiled 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.