2026 Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Southeast Region
[Consumer Economics](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/family-consumer-economics/consumer-economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for consumer economics students.
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2026 Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in consumer economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Consumer Economics Schools
Leading the list is University Of Georgia, our #1 best value for consumer economics in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Consumer Economics graduates carry a median of $22,652 in student loans. Early-career consumer economics graduates make about $48,620. Set against $22,652 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 38%.
Students looking for strong value in consumer economics will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, compared with $33,256 for out-of-state students. Consumer Economics graduates carry a median of $17,844 in student loans. Early-career consumer economics graduates make about $43,014. That is a strong return on a $17,844 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Alabama earned it the #3 place for consumer economics. Set in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Consumer Economics graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Early-career consumer economics graduates make about $50,740. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 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.
