by our College Data Analytics Team
[Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/anthropology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong anthropology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for anthropology students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the anthropology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is George Washington University, our #1 best value for anthropology in District of Columbia. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Typical student debt for anthropology graduates is $27,000. Early-career anthropology graduates make about $22,614. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 47% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.