2026 Best Value Operations Research Schools in the Southwest Region
[Operations Research](/majors/engineering/operations-research/) 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 3 schools to find the best return on investment for operations research students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Operations Research Schools in the Southwest Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the operations research degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Operations Research Schools
Our analysis ranked Rice University the best value for a degree in operations research in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $61,247. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $11,904. Operations Research graduates of Rice University earn a median of $75,299 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,904 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas A And M University College Station earned it the #2 place for operations research. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for operations research graduates is $20,031. Early-career operations research graduates make about $64,891. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Southern Methodist University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in operations research, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,040 in tuition and fees. Operations Research graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career operations research graduates make about $72,658. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
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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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
