by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general economics 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 general economics students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Boise State University earned the #1 spot for value among general economics schools in Idaho. Boise State University is a very large public school located in the city of Boise. In-state tuition and fees average $9,048, compared with $27,788 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $24,675. Early-career general economics graduates make about $46,137. Set against $24,675 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.