by our College Data Analytics Team
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/data-science/general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in value, no school beat College Of William And Mary this year. Set in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,734, while out-of-state students pay about $51,038. Typical student debt for value graduates is $18,935. Early-career value graduates make about $53,338. That is a strong return on a $18,935 median debt. Roughly 34% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Virginia Main Campus earned it the #2 place for value. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, compared with $61,591 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $18,627. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $69,126. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #3 spot this year. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $23,393 in student loans. Value graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.
1
2
3
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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.