2026 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in District of Columbia
[Liberal Arts](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/liberal-arts/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for liberal arts students.
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2026 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in liberal arts, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools
University Of The District Of Columbia tops our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, University Of The District Of Columbia is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,662, with out-of-state students paying around $12,514. Students borrow a median of $25,795 to complete the liberal arts program here. Soon after graduation, liberal arts degree recipients from University Of The District Of Columbia generally make around $57,060. Set against $25,795 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
George Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in liberal arts, landing the #2 spot this year. 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. Liberal Arts graduates carry a median of $22,910 in student loans. Liberal Arts graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $73,749 early in their careers. Set against $22,910 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Georgetown University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value liberal arts schools. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Typical student debt for liberal arts graduates is $25,000. Early-career liberal arts graduates make about $66,719. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 13%.
More Liberal Arts Rankings
View All Liberal Arts 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
