2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,397 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 28 colleges that offered a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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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 Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.
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Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k.
Top 26 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region
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 Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 86 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Rice also took the #1 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Rice University is $7,318 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
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 #2 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 450 students in 2019-2020.
UT Austin also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $15,757 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Economics at The University of Texas at Austin
Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley landed the #3 spot on the list. UT Rio Grande Valley is a large public school situated in Edinburg, Texas. It awarded 15 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Rio Grande Valley, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $6,405 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 276 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas A&M College Station also took the #3 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $18,810 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
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 Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Houston, Texas, this large public school awarded 166 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.
UH also took the #9 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Houston is $12,505 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
University of Arizona came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this large public school awarded 241 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Arizona, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $15,399 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
With a ranking of #7, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school handed out 273 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.
ASU - Tempe also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Tempe is $14,033 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #8, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UT Dallas is located in Richardson, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.
UT Dallas also took the #8 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Dallas is $13,797 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #9, Trinity University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Trinity U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Antonio, Texas. It awarded 38 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Trinity U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity U is $18,012 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Texas Tech University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Texas Tech University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 98 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas Tech also took the #12 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas Tech is $17,421 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Oklahoma State University - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.
OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for OSU is $14,698 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Economics at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #12, Texas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Marcos, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.
Texas State also took the #21 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas State University is $14,250 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
University of North Texas ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Denton, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.
UNT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNT is $15,377 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
The University of Texas at Arlington came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UT Arlington is a public institution located in Arlington, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Arlington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $14,622 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend The University of Texas at Arlington.
New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,235 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend New Mexico State University - Main Campus.
With a ranking of #15, Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.
ASU - Skysong did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Skysong is $15,891 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Nacogdoches, Texas, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Stephen F Austin State University is $13,644 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Economics at Stephen F Austin State University
Texas Lutheran University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Seguin, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
TLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for TLU is $19,310 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Austin College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Austin College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sherman, Texas. It awarded 14 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Austin College, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Austin College is $19,574 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of New Mexico - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UNM is a large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 48 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus is $16,557 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Economics at University of New Mexico - Main Campus
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 83 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma is $21,812 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Dallas landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Dallas is located in Irving, Texas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UD has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $19,433 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Dallas.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Central Oklahoma came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edmond, Oklahoma, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCO not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Oklahoma is $18,693 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
St. Mary’s University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Mary’s also took the #23 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Mary’s University is $20,360 for southwest region bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Southwestern University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Georgetown, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.
Southwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southwestern University is $20,394 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Southern Methodist University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large school located in Dallas, Texas that handed out 165 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
SMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $31,813 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Methodist University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
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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.
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- Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.
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