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2026 Best Value African American Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[African American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/african-american-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.

College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value african american studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value African American Studies Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value African American Studies Schools in District of Columbia

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the african american studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value African American Studies Schools

1

American University
Washington, DC

$58,771 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,000 Avg Student Debt

$77,370 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is American University, our #1 best value for african american studies in District of Columbia. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $58,771. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the african american studies program here. Soon after graduation, african american studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $46,206. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.

2

Howard University
Washington, DC

$35,810 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,498 Avg Student Debt

$63,066 Median Earnings (10yr)

Howard University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value african american studies schools. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,810. Students borrow a median of $25,498 to complete the african american studies program here. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $58,495. That is a strong return on a $25,498 median debt. The acceptance rate is 41%.

View All African American Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 3 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.