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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

15 Ranked Colleges
379 Degrees Awarded
$26,500 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Master's in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 48,831 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 2,902 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $45,669 and $20,712 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 379 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,078 and $37,227 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality economics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the economics program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 15 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Rice University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Rice is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rice, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Rice are $47,913, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Economics at Rice

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Texas. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT also took the #9 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Texas are $15,618, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Economics at UNT

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #3 spot on the list. Texas A&M College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 109 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M College Station are $22,743, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at Texas A&M College Station

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at San Antonio. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large public school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 19 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UTSA also took the #13 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at San Antonio are $25,807, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at UTSA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. The University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886.

Read full report on Economics at UT Austin

#6

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #6, University of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 44 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UH also took the #8 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Houston are $18,689, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Houston Economics Report

#7 in overall quality

The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. The University of Texas at Dallas is a large public school situated in Richardson, Texas. It awarded 17 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Dallas has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Dallas are $28,610, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at The University of Texas at Dallas

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ASU - Tempe, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Tempe are $27,048, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Economics at ASU - Tempe

#9

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Texas Tech also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas Tech are $17,530, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Economics at Texas Tech

#10

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Arizona is a public institution located in Tucson, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399.

Read full report on Economics at University of Arizona

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oklahoma are $23,236.

Read more about Economics at University of Oklahoma

New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this fairly large public school handed out 3 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, NMSU Main Campus has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full NMSU Main Campus Economics Report

#11 in overall quality

The University of Texas at Arlington landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UT Arlington is located in Arlington, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Arlington has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Arlington are $23,376, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full The University of Texas at Arlington Economics Report

#14

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#12 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Main Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

UNM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UNM are $19,890.

Read more about Economics at UNM

#3 in overall quality

Southern Methodist University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, SMU has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Methodist University are $47,478.

Read more about Economics at SMU

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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