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2026 Best Value Value Schools in California

[Value](/majors/engineering/electrical-and-computer-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Value Schools in California

2026 Best Value Value Schools in California

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

1

California Baptist University
Riverside, CA

$41,228 In-State Tuition & Fees

$28,169 Avg Student Debt

$61,504 Median Earnings (10yr)

California Baptist University earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in California. Set in the city of Riverside, California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,228. Typical student debt for value graduates is $28,169. Value graduates of California Baptist University earn a median of $51,999 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California Baptist University admits about 85% of applicants.

2

University Of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA

$71,647 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,625 Avg Student Debt

$92,498 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Southern California came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Value graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $75,677 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.

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Notes and References

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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.