2026 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in Texas
[Applied Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/applied-economics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value applied economics schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in Texas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the applied economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Applied Economics Schools
For return on investment in applied economics, no school beat University Of Houston this year. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,717, compared with $22,547 for out-of-state students. Applied Economics graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied economics degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $50,820. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in applied economics will find it at Southern Methodist University, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,040. Typical student debt for applied economics graduates is $19,500. Applied Economics graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of $70,632 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
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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 · 3 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.
