2026 Best Value Value Schools in California
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/general/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value value schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
University Of California Los Angeles earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in California. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Students borrow a median of $16,097 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $63,833. Set against $16,097 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 2 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.
