2026 Best Value Homeland Security Schools in District of Columbia

[Homeland Security](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/homeland-security/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value homeland security schools.
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2026 Best Value Homeland Security Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the homeland security degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Homeland Security Schools
George Washington University tops our 2026 list of the best value homeland security schools in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Homeland Security graduates carry a median of $22,910 in student loans. Soon after graduation, homeland security degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $111,258. Set against $22,910 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Georgetown University earned it the #2 place for homeland security. 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. Students borrow a median of $16,483 to complete the homeland security program here. Soon after graduation, homeland security degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $81,481. Set against $16,483 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in homeland security, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,139 to complete the homeland security program here. Soon after graduation, homeland security degree recipients from American University generally make around $70,939. That is a strong return on a $24,139 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
More Homeland Security Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 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.