2026 Best Value Labor & Industrial Relations Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Labor & Industrial Relations](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/human-resource-management/labor-and-industrial-relations/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong labor & industrial relations education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for labor & industrial relations students.
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2026 Best Value Labor & Industrial Relations Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the labor & industrial relations degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Labor & Industrial Relations Schools
For return on investment in labor & industrial relations, no school beat Suny Empire State College this year. Located in the suburb of Saratoga Springs, Suny Empire State College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,648 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,558. Typical student debt for labor & industrial relations graduates is $23,693. Labor & Industrial Relations graduates of Suny Empire State College earn a median of $58,140 early in their careers. Set against $23,693 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in labor & industrial relations will find it at Pennsylvania State University World Campus, which ranked #2. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,356 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Rutgers University New Brunswick is a great value for students pursuing a degree in labor & industrial relations, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,929, with out-of-state students paying around $37,441. Labor & Industrial Relations graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Early-career labor & industrial relations graduates make about $58,302. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rutgers University New Brunswick admits about 58% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in labor & industrial relations will find it at Rider University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,120. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the labor & industrial relations program here. Soon after graduation, labor & industrial relations degree recipients from Rider University generally make around $40,941. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in labor & industrial relations will find it at Seton Hall University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of South Orange, Seton Hall University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,170. Students borrow a median of $23,032 to complete the labor & industrial relations program here. Soon after graduation, labor & industrial relations degree recipients from Seton Hall University generally make around $80,158. Set against $23,032 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Seton Hall University admits about 73% of applicants.
Cornell University landed the #6 spot for labor & industrial relations value this year. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Labor & Industrial Relations graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Labor & Industrial Relations graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $92,864 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value labor & industrial relations schools. Set in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $20,644 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Median earnings reach $63,435 ten years out. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
