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2026 Best Value General Operations Research Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general operations research, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Operations Research Schools
Princeton University earned the #1 spot for value among general operations research schools in the United States. Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Princeton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,688. General Operations Research graduates carry a median of $10,888 in student loans. General Operations Research graduates of Princeton University earn a median of $100,354 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,888 median debt. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Rice University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general operations research, landing the #2 spot this year. Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. In-state tuition and fees average $61,247. General Operations Research graduates carry a median of $11,904 in student loans. Early-career general operations research graduates make about $75,299. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Berkeley is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general operations research, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general operations research graduates is $14,238. General Operations Research graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $88,685 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Columbia University In The City Of New York one of the best values for general operations research. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Typical student debt for general operations research graduates is $23,258. Soon after graduation, general operations research degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York generally make around $110,457. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #5 place for general operations research. Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ithaca. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. General Operations Research graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Early-career general operations research graduates make about $96,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
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Southern Methodist University landed the #6 spot for general operations research value this year. Set in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,040 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general operations research graduates is $20,500. General Operations Research graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of $72,658 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern Methodist University admits about 63% of applicants.
Other General Operations Research Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General Operations Research rankings across degree levels:
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 43 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
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