by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/engineering/electrical-and-computer-engineering/general/) 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:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in value, no school beat Rice University this year. Located in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,247. Typical student debt for value graduates is $11,904. Early-career value graduates make about $75,299. That is a strong return on a $11,904 median debt. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $21,275 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin generally make around $57,819. That is a strong return on a $21,275 median debt. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
Baylor University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Waco, Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,100. Value graduates carry a median of $23,928 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Baylor University generally make around $49,888. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 51%.
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This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.