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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $30-$48k) 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 $30-$48k

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 $30-$48k” 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.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in economics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great economics programs and cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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 $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 15 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#1 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 $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Rice University landed the #1 spot on the list. Rice University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Rice not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Rice University are $47,913, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at Rice University

#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 $30-$48k. This large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #9. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNT are $15,618, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of North Texas Economics Report

#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 $30-$48k 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #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 you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at Texas A&M University - 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 $30-$48k. San Antonio, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

UTSA also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at UTSA are $25,807, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Economics at UTSA

#5

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Houston. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

UH not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Houston are $18,689, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at UH

The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full The University of Texas at Austin 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. UT 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 $30-$48k 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 more about Economics at UT Dallas

#10 in overall quality

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 5 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 Arizona State University - Tempe are $27,048, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe Economics Report

#9

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

University of Arizona also took the #6 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at University of Arizona

#10

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas Tech is a large school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 2 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas Tech University are $17,530, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Texas Tech Economics Report

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Oklahoma is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 29 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oklahoma are $23,236, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at University of Oklahoma

With a ranking of #12, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and it awarded 3 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NMSU Main Campus, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at NMSU 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 did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. The University of Texas at 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.

UT Arlington also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #11. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Arlington are $23,376, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UT 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 $30-$48k 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.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree economics students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNM has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of New Mexico - Main Campus are $19,890, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

#3 in overall quality

Southern Methodist University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 18 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

SMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SMU are $47,478, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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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