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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Southeast Region

[Value](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/security-science-and-technology/law-enforcement-intelligence-analysis/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes 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

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Value Schools

1

Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

$6,517 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,693 Avg Student Debt

$61,675 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in value, no school beat Florida State University this year. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,517, compared with $21,683 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,693 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $58,249. That is a strong return on a $20,693 median debt. The acceptance rate is 24%.

2

Ecpi University
Virginia Beach, VA

$18,484 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,988 Avg Student Debt

$42,837 Median Earnings (10yr)

Ecpi University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Ecpi University is a large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,484. Value graduates carry a median of $27,988 in student loans. Value graduates of Ecpi University earn a median of $48,429 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ecpi University admits about 74% of applicants.

View All Value Rankings >

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 · 3 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.