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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region

[Value](/majors/mathematics-and-statistics/applied-statistics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region

2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Value Schools

1

University Of Kentucky
Lexington, KY

$13,502 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,094 Avg Student Debt

$59,025 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of Kentucky, our #1 best value for value in the Southeast Region. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Value graduates carry a median of $24,094 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $49,568 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,094 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.

2

The University Of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL

$12,180 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,496 Avg Student Debt

$59,221 Median Earnings (10yr)

The University Of Alabama is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,180, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $24,496 in student loans. Value 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.

View All Value Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.