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2026 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in Pennsylvania

[Applied Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/applied-economics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for applied economics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Applied Economics Schools in Pennsylvania

2026 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in Pennsylvania

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

Best Value Applied Economics Schools

1

Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA

$61,061 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$73,721 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Ursinus College the best value for a degree in applied economics in Pennsylvania. Set in the suburb of Collegeville, Ursinus College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,061. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the applied economics program here. Applied Economics graduates of Ursinus College earn a median of $52,496 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.

2

Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA

$65,636 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,020 Avg Student Debt

$114,862 Median Earnings (10yr)

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value applied economics schools. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Students from in state pay about $65,636 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for applied economics graduates is $22,020. Early-career applied economics graduates make about $86,284. That is a strong return on a $22,020 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.

View All Applied Economics Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 2 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.