2026 Best Value Consumer Economics Schools
[Consumer Economics](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/family-consumer-economics/consumer-economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for consumer economics students.
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Finding the Best Value Consumer Economics School for You
The consumer economics program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Consumer Economics Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Read more about our methodology
Customize Your Rankings
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Consumer Economics Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
See how we build our rankings
2026 Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the consumer economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Consumer Economics Schools
University Of Georgia tops our 2026 list of the best value consumer economics schools in the United States. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $31,688. Typical student debt for consumer economics graduates is $22,652. Consumer Economics graduates of University Of Georgia earn a median of $48,620 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee is a great value for students pursuing a degree in consumer economics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,812 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for consumer economics graduates is $17,844. Soon after graduation, consumer economics degree recipients from The University Of Tennessee generally make around $43,014. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
South Dakota State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value consumer economics schools. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Students borrow a median of $23,789 to complete the consumer economics program here. Early-career consumer economics graduates make about $44,891. That is a strong return on a $23,789 median debt. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes The University Of Alabama one of the best values for consumer economics. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Consumer Economics graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Consumer Economics graduates of The University Of Alabama earn a median of $50,740 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Consumer Economics. See all related rankings.
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 · 8 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.
