2026 Best Value International Law & Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[International Law & Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-research/international-law-and-legal-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international law & legal studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value International Law & Legal Studies Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international law & legal studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Law & Legal Studies Schools
Leading the list is George Washington University, our #1 best value for international law & legal studies in District of Columbia. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for international law & legal studies graduates is $22,910. Soon after graduation, international law & legal studies degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $90,624. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 47% of applicants are accepted.
Georgetown University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international law & legal studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,089. International Law & Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans. Early-career international law & legal studies graduates make about $101,347. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 13%.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international law & legal studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. International Law & Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $24,139 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international law & legal studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $65,919. That is a strong return on a $24,139 median debt. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
More International Law & Legal Studies Rankings
View All International Law & Legal Studies Rankings >
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 · 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.