2026 Best Value Public Finance Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Public Finance](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/public-finance/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public finance students.
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2026 Best Value Public Finance Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public finance degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Finance Schools
Niagara University tops our 2026 list of the best value public finance schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Niagara University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Niagara University. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,345. Students borrow a median of $26,208 to complete the public finance program here. Soon after graduation, public finance degree recipients from Niagara University generally make around $51,918. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at York College Pennsylvania earned it the #2 place for public finance. York College Pennsylvania is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of York. In-state tuition and fees average $25,588. Public Finance graduates carry a median of $25,812 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public finance degree recipients from York College Pennsylvania generally make around $46,890. Set against $25,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
George Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value public finance schools. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public finance graduates is $19,000. Public Finance graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $73,833 early in their careers. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
