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2026 Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools

[Archaeology & Classical Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/classical-ancient-studies/archaeology-classical-studies/) 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.

College Factual analyzed 45 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value archaeology & classical studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Customize Your Rankings
• Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools List
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Finding the Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies School for You

Where you study archaeology & classical studies affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we developed our Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.

See how we build our rankings

Customizing Your List

We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.

Learn more about our methodology

2026 Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools in the United States

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in archaeology & classical studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Archaeology & Classical Studies Schools

1

University Of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

$15,377 In-State Tuition & Fees

$14,238 Avg Student Debt

$92,446 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked University Of California Berkeley the best value for a degree in archaeology & classical studies in the United States. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the archaeology & classical studies program here. Soon after graduation, archaeology & classical studies degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $70,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.

2

University Of Michigan Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI

$18,848 In-State Tuition & Fees

$19,137 Avg Student Debt

$83,648 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned it the #2 place for archaeology & classical studies. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,137 to complete the archaeology & classical studies program here. Early-career archaeology & classical studies graduates make about $66,254. That is a strong return on a $19,137 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.

3

University Of Wisconsin Madison
Madison, WI

$11,603 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,813 Avg Student Debt

$73,792 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Madison earned it the #3 place for archaeology & classical studies. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for archaeology & classical studies graduates is $21,813. Archaeology & Classical Studies graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $59,877 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.

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Archaeology & Classical Studies Related Rankings by Major

Archaeology & Classical Studies is one of many programs to choose from within the area of study. Browse the parent area of study.

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 · 45 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.