2026 Best Value Archeology Bachelor’s Degree Schools

[Archeology](/majors/social-sciences/archeology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 84 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value archeology schools.
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2026 Best Value Archeology Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the archeology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Archeology Schools
University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #1 spot for value among archeology schools in the United States. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $16,481 to complete the archeology program here. Archeology graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $65,681 early in their careers. Set against $16,481 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Brigham Young University Provo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in archeology, landing the #2 spot this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,688. Students borrow a median of $12,184 to complete the archeology program here. Archeology graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of $54,507 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Wisconsin La Crosse one of the best values for archeology. Located in the city of La Crosse, University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,070 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,517 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $23,008. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin La Crosse generally make around $29,547. Set against $23,008 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Washington University earned it the #4 place for archeology. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,582 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Students borrow a median of $20,361 to complete the archeology program here. Early-career archeology graduates make about $24,061. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Washington University admits about 93% of applicants.
College Of Charleston is a great value for students pursuing a degree in archeology, landing the #5 spot this year. College Of Charleston is a large public school located in the city of Charleston. In-state tuition and fees average $12,978, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for archeology graduates is $24,733. Soon after graduation, archeology degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $40,222. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus placed #6 among the best values for archeology. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, while out-of-state students pay about $28,697. Archeology graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Early-career archeology graduates make about $58,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Other Archeology Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Archeology rankings across degree levels:
View All Archeology 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 · 84 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.