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2026 Best Value Economics Schools in Arizona

[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for economics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Economics Schools in Arizona

2026 Best Value Economics Schools in Arizona

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

Best Value Economics Schools

1

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

$12,223 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,430 Avg Student Debt

$62,668 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Arizona State University the best value for a degree in economics in Arizona. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,430 to complete the economics program here. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $54,778. That is a strong return on a $16,430 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.

2

University Of Arizona
Tucson, AZ

$13,573 In-State Tuition & Fees

$19,610 Avg Student Debt

$59,979 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes University Of Arizona one of the best values for economics. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Economics graduates carry a median of $19,610 in student loans. Early-career economics graduates make about $47,908. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.

View All Economics Rankings >

Notes and References

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 · 15 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.