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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western Region

[Value](/majors/engineering-technologies/mechanical-engineering-technology/marine-engineering/) 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 3 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western Region

2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Far Western Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Value Schools

1

California Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA

$9,559 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,359 Avg Student Debt

$94,784 Median Earnings (10yr)

California Maritime Academy earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in the Far Western Region. California Maritime Academy is a small public school located in the city of Vallejo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,559, with out-of-state students paying around $22,159. Value graduates carry a median of $25,359 in student loans. Value graduates of California Maritime Academy earn a median of $98,661 early in their careers. Set against $25,359 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.

2

Northwest School Of Wooden Boat Building
Port Hadlock, WA

$20,025 In-State Tuition & Fees

Northwest School Of Wooden Boat Building came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Located in the rural area of Port Hadlock, Northwest School Of Wooden Boat Building is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $20,025 in tuition and fees.

View All Value Rankings >

Notes and References

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 · 3 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.