2026 Best Value Medicine Schools in the Southwest Region
[Medicine](/majors/health-care-professions/medicine/) 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 medicine students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Medicine Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in medicine, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Medicine Schools
Leading the list is The University Of Texas Pan American, our #1 best value for medicine in the Southwest Region. The University Of Texas Pan American is a very large public school located in the city of Edinburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,799, compared with $19,645 for out-of-state students. Medicine graduates carry a median of $14,694 in student loans. Early-career medicine graduates make about $60,293. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Houston one of the best values for medicine. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,717, while out-of-state students pay about $22,547. Students borrow a median of $21,255 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of University Of Houston earn a median of $57,529 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Houston admits about 74% of applicants.
University Of Arizona is a great value for students pursuing a degree in medicine, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Medicine graduates carry a median of $21,861 in student loans. Early-career medicine graduates make about $66,995. Set against $21,861 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arizona admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Sam Houston State University one of the best values for medicine. Set in the town of Huntsville, Sam Houston State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,228 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,068 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,850 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of Sam Houston State University earn a median of $46,365 early in their careers. Set against $24,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in medicine will find it at University Of New Mexico Main Campus, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,140, compared with $33,060 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,738 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of University Of New Mexico Main Campus earn a median of $64,050 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value medicine schools. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,688 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $21,275 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $65,395 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
University Of The Incarnate Word came in at #7 for value in medicine this year. University Of The Incarnate Word is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Antonio. In-state tuition and fees average $37,090. Students borrow a median of $28,028 to complete the medicine program here. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from University Of The Incarnate Word generally make around $51,876. That is a strong return on a $28,028 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Texas A And M University College Station placed #8 among the best values for medicine. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,995, with out-of-state students paying around $40,124. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $20,031. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station generally make around $62,078. That is a strong return on a $20,031 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Christian University earned the #9 position for value in medicine this year. Located in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,740. Medicine graduates carry a median of $22,960 in student loans. Medicine graduates of Texas Christian University earn a median of $60,035 early in their careers. Set against $22,960 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Medicine Schools by State
View All Medicine 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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
