2026 Best Value Linguistics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/linguistics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong linguistics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for linguistics students.
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2026 Best Value Linguistics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in linguistics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Linguistics Schools
For return on investment in linguistics, no school beat University Of Utah this year. University Of Utah is a very large public school located in the city of Salt Lake City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,620, while out-of-state students pay about $30,860. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $21,715 in student loans. Linguistics graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $30,251 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in linguistics will find it at Metropolitan State College Of Denver, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,124, with out-of-state students paying around $30,684. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $31,023. Early-career linguistics graduates make about $29,803. That is a strong return on a $31,023 median debt. Metropolitan State College Of Denver admits about 99% of applicants.
Brigham Young University Provo came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value linguistics schools. Located in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,688. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $11,621 in student loans. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $34,279. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
University Of Colorado Boulder is a great value for students pursuing a degree in linguistics, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $20,373 in student loans. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $55,861. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 6 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.
