2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Southwest Region
[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong development economics & international development education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for development economics & international development students.
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2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in development economics & international development, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools
For return on investment in development economics & international development, no school beat New Mexico State University Main Campus this year. Located in the suburb of Las Cruces, New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,183 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $25,307. Students borrow a median of $19,026 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $41,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Arizona earned it the #2 place for development economics & international development. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $19,610. Development Economics & International Development graduates of University Of Arizona earn a median of $47,908 early in their careers. Set against $19,610 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Trinity University earned it the #3 place for development economics & international development. Set in the city of San Antonio, Trinity University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,676. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $57,482. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 26%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 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.
