2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Southwest Region
[Engineering & Applied Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/engineering-applied-physics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong engineering & applied physics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering & applied physics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering & applied physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
For return on investment in engineering & applied physics, no school beat Rice University this year. Located in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $61,247. Students borrow a median of $11,904 to complete the engineering & applied physics program here. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of Rice University earn a median of $75,299 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,904 median debt. Rice University admits about 8% of applicants.
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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 · 18 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.
