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

Rankings by Major

💻 Computer Science⚙️ Engineering📊 Business & Finance📈 Economics🧬 Biology & Pre-Med📐 Math & Statistics🧠 Psychology🎤 Communications📚 Liberal Arts📖 Education⚛️ Physics🏛️ Political Science

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

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

99/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$126,367 median salary$13,481/yr net cost0.6 yr break-even+321% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
2

Computer Science

99/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$125,250 median salary$13,481/yr net cost0.6 yr break-even+318% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
3

Computer and Information Sciences, General

99/100

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$117,100 median salary$12,548/yr net cost0.6 yr break-even+290% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
4

Computer Engineering

99/100

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$110,139 median salary$12,548/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+267% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
5

Computer Engineering

99/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$106,621 median salary$31,927/yr net cost1.8 yr break-even+255% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
6

Computer Science

99/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$104,298 median salary$31,927/yr net cost1.8 yr break-even+248% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
7

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
8

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

99/100

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$88,168 median salary$12,548/yr net cost1 yr break-even+194% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
9

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
10

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
11

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

99/100

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$78,867 median salary$12,548/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+163% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
12

Computer Engineering

99/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$76,743 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+156% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
13

Computer and Information Sciences, General

99/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$76,677 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+156% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
14

Systems Engineering

99/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$75,217 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+151% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
15

Computer Science

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$101,262 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1 yr break-even+238% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
16

Computer Science

98/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$93,493 median salary$40,815/yr net cost2.7 yr break-even+212% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
17

Mathematics and Computer Science

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$90,339 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+201% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
18

Computer Engineering

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$88,455 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.2 yr break-even+195% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
19

International Business

98/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$86,661 median salary$40,815/yr net cost3 yr break-even+189% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
20

Computer Science

98/100

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$86,276 median salary$13,825/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+188% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
21

Finance and Financial Management Services

98/100

Georgetown University · Washington, DC

$84,438 median salary$40,815/yr net cost3.1 yr break-even+181% vs. HS diploma95% grad rate
22

Computer Engineering

98/100

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$83,726 median salary$13,825/yr net cost1.1 yr break-even+179% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
23

Computer Science

98/100

Boston University · Boston, MA

$82,237 median salary$24,402/yr net cost2 yr break-even+174% vs. HS diploma89% grad rate
24

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

98/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$81,661 median salary$31,927/yr net cost2.6 yr break-even+172% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
25

Computer and Information Sciences, General

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$78,673 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+162% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
26

Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

98/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$78,078 median salary$31,927/yr net cost2.8 yr break-even+160% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
27

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$74,981 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+150% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
28

Biomedical/Medical Engineering

98/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$74,716 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+149% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
29

Business Administration, Management and Operations

98/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$74,034 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.3 yr break-even+147% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
30

Mechanical Engineering

98/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$73,836 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.3 yr break-even+146% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
31

Chemical Engineering

98/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$72,850 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+143% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
32

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

98/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$72,430 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+141% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
33

Computer Science

97/100

Boston College · Chestnut Hill, MA

$89,714 median salary$41,704/yr net cost2.9 yr break-even+199% vs. HS diploma91% grad rate
34

Real Estate

97/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$75,665 median salary$31,927/yr net cost2.9 yr break-even+152% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
35

Civil Engineering

97/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$75,576 median salary$31,927/yr net cost2.9 yr break-even+152% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
36

Mechanical Engineering

97/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$74,693 median salary$31,927/yr net cost3 yr break-even+149% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
37

Chemical Engineering

97/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$73,493 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+145% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
38

Computer Science

97/100

Emory University · Atlanta, GA

$73,250 median salary$23,911/yr net cost2.4 yr break-even+144% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
39

Business Administration, Management and Operations

97/100

Emory University · Atlanta, GA

$72,076 median salary$23,911/yr net cost2.4 yr break-even+140% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
40

Economics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$71,330 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+138% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
41

Applied Mathematics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$71,282 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+138% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
42

Construction Engineering Technologies

97/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$71,213 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.7 yr break-even+137% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
43

Chemical Engineering

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$70,767 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.4 yr break-even+136% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
44

Statistics

97/100

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$70,227 median salary$13,481/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+134% vs. HS diploma93% grad rate
45

Materials Engineering

97/100

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$70,098 median salary$6,351/yr net cost0.8 yr break-even+134% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
46

Computer Science

96/100

George Washington University · Washington, DC

$75,984 median salary$37,454/yr net cost3.4 yr break-even+153% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
47

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

96/100

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$74,299 median salary$18,165/yr net cost1.8 yr break-even+148% vs. HS diploma75% grad rate
48

Computer Software and Media Applications

96/100

University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA

$72,085 median salary$31,927/yr net cost3.2 yr break-even+140% vs. HS diploma92% grad rate
49

Management Information Systems and Services

96/100

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL

$71,440 median salary$15,201/yr net cost1.6 yr break-even+138% vs. HS diploma85% grad rate
50

Computer Science

96/100

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$70,908 median salary$13,816/yr net cost1.5 yr break-even+136% vs. HS diploma87% 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.