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2026 Best Value General Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Schools
Leading the list is University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, our #1 best value for general in the United States. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general graduates is $19,137. Early-career general graduates make about $66,254. Set against $19,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place for general. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,842 to complete the general program here. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $55,876. Set against $21,842 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Villanova University earned it the #3 place for general. Set in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,776. Students borrow a median of $26,184 to complete the general program here. General graduates of Villanova University earn a median of $72,601 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,184 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Other General Degree Levels
Explore the best-value general schools at other degree levels:
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[General](/majors/engineering/energy-systems-engineering/general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
