Updated March 2026

Best Value College Degrees 2026 Rankings

Which degrees actually pay off? We ranked every program using our Value Score — a 100-point metric based on real earnings data, true cost, and graduation rates from the U.S. Department of Education.

Based on data from schools in our database · Powered by College Scorecard data

How We Calculate the Value Score

Earnings-to-Cost Ratio

40% weight — How much you earn relative to what you pay each year

Break-Even Speed

25% weight — How fast your degree pays for itself

Earnings Premium

20% weight — How much more you earn vs. a high school diploma

Completion Rate

15% weight — Risk of not finishing and being stuck with debt

1

Computer Science

100/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$140,072 median salary$16,816/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+367% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
2

Applied Mathematics

100/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$102,707 median salary$16,816/yr net cost1 yr break-even+242% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
3

Economics

100/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$89,515 median salary$16,816/yr net cost1.2 yr break-even+198% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
4

Statistics

100/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$78,193 median salary$16,816/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+161% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
5

Computer Science

99/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$136,126 median salary$12,136/yr net cost0.5 yr break-even+354% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
6

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

99/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$126,367 median salary$14,979/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+321% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
7

Computer Science

99/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$125,250 median salary$14,979/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+318% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
8

Computer Science

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$118,191 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1 yr break-even+294% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
9

Mathematics and Computer Science

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$109,338 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+264% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
10

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$104,229 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+247% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
11

Computer Science

99/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$93,918 median salary$18,967/yr net cost1.3 yr break-even+213% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
12

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$85,273 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+184% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
13

Mathematics

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$82,796 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+176% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
14

Economics

99/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$82,564 median salary$18,967/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+175% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
15

Mathematics

99/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$81,753 median salary$18,967/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+173% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
16

Chemical Engineering

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$81,524 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+172% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
17

Mechanical Engineering

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$80,396 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.7 yr break-even+168% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
18

Materials Engineering

99/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$80,203 median salary$19,813/yr net cost1.7 yr break-even+167% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
19

Engineering-Related Fields

99/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$77,180 median salary$12,136/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+157% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
20

Business Administration, Management and Operations

99/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$74,034 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+147% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
21

Mechanical Engineering

98/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$73,836 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+146% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
22

Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

98/100

Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA

$72,563 median salary$19,813/yr net cost2 yr break-even+142% vs. HS diploma96% grad rate
23

Economics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$71,330 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+138% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
24

Applied Mathematics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$71,282 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+138% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
25

Chemical Engineering

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$70,767 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+136% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
26

Statistics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$70,227 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+134% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
27

Civil Engineering

96/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$69,327 median salary$14,979/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+131% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
28

Mechanical Engineering

95/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$67,007 median salary$12,136/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+123% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
29

Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services

93/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$78,723 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+162% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
30

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

93/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$76,864 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+156% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
31

Computer and Information Sciences, General

93/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$73,198 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+144% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
32

Cognitive Science

93/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$62,295 median salary$14,979/yr net cost2 yr break-even+108% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
33

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

92/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$72,343 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+141% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
34

Mechanical Engineering

92/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$71,849 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+139% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
35

Economics

92/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$60,475 median salary$12,136/yr net cost1.7 yr break-even+102% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
36

International Relations and National Security Studies

92/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$60,442 median salary$12,136/yr net cost1.7 yr break-even+101% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
37

Political Science and Government

92/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$58,808 median salary$16,816/yr net cost2.5 yr break-even+96% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
38

Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians

91/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$70,278 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.7 yr break-even+134% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
39

Sociology

91/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$58,277 median salary$16,816/yr net cost2.6 yr break-even+94% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
40

Engineering, Other

90/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$55,933 median salary$12,136/yr net cost2 yr break-even+86% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
41

Chemical Engineering

89/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$64,406 median salary$14,773/yr net cost1.9 yr break-even+115% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
42

Social Sciences, Other

89/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$55,102 median salary$14,979/yr net cost2.6 yr break-even+84% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
43

Research and Experimental Psychology

89/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$53,927 median salary$16,816/yr net cost3 yr break-even+80% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
44

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

88/100

Wayne State University · Detroit, MI

$63,013 median salary$14,773/yr net cost2 yr break-even+110% vs. HS diploma57% grad rate
45

Biomedical/Medical Engineering

88/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$53,573 median salary$14,979/yr net cost2.7 yr break-even+79% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
46

Architecture

88/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$52,215 median salary$14,979/yr net cost2.9 yr break-even+74% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
47

Psychology, General

88/100

Stanford University · Stanford, CA

$51,407 median salary$12,136/yr net cost2.5 yr break-even+71% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
48

Physics

87/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$52,578 median salary$18,967/yr net cost3.6 yr break-even+75% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
49

History

87/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$50,411 median salary$16,816/yr net cost3.5 yr break-even+68% vs. HS diploma97% grad rate
50

Public Policy Analysis

86/100

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL

$51,165 median salary$18,967/yr net cost3.8 yr break-even+71% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate

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Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Median earnings reflect graduates 1 year after completion. Net price is the average annual cost after financial aid. Value Score is a proprietary metric created by Ask Kinsley and should be used as one factor among many in your college decision.