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2026 Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[American U.S. Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/american-us-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for american u.s. studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools in District of Columbia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in american u.s. studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value American U.S. Studies Schools

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

$67,710 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,500 Avg Student Debt

$90,873 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in american u.s. studies, no school beat George Washington University this year. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for american u.s. studies graduates is $25,500. Soon after graduation, american u.s. studies degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $73,749. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 47%.

2

Georgetown University
Washington, DC

$68,089 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,483 Avg Student Debt

$103,494 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Georgetown University one of the best values for american u.s. studies. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,089 in tuition and fees. American U.s. Studies graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans. Soon after graduation, american u.s. studies degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $64,851. Set against $16,483 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.

View All American U.S. Studies Rankings >

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 · 3 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.