by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/health-care-professions/bioethics-medical-ethics/nursing-education/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 22 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in value, no school beat Carlow University this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carlow University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $35,874. Value graduates carry a median of $30,222 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Carlow University generally make around $96,194. Set against $30,222 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
University Of Pennsylvania came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Located in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,686. Value graduates carry a median of $16,155 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $99,682. That is a strong return on a $16,155 median debt. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Duquesne University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Duquesne University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,986. Value graduates carry a median of $26,297 in student loans. Value graduates of Duquesne University earn a median of $54,826 early in their careers. Set against $26,297 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Duquesne University admits about 84% of applicants.
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This ranking is produced 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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.