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2026 Best Value General Schools

[General](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/environmental-geosciences/general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find the best return on investment for general students.

What’s on this page:

• Customize Your Rankings
• Best Value General Schools List
• Narrow by Region

Finding the Best Value General School for You

The general program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we built our Best Value General 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.

Learn more about our methodology

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value General Schools list, to help you choose. 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.

Read more about College Factual’s methodology

2026 Best Value General Schools in the United States

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

Best Value General Schools

1

University Of Minnesota Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN

$17,214 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,577 Avg Student Debt

$69,020 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Twin Cities the best value for a degree in general in the United States. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. General graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $56,395. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.

2

Texas A And M University College Station
College Station, TX

$12,995 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,031 Avg Student Debt

$72,097 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Texas A And M University College Station one of the best values for general. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Students borrow a median of $20,031 to complete the general program here. Early-career general graduates make about $64,891. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 57%.

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General Related Rankings by Major

General is one of many programs to choose from within the area of study. See all related 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 · 17 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.