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2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in District of Columbia

[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong development economics & international development education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value development economics & international development schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in District of Columbia

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

Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools

1

Georgetown University
Washington, DC

$68,089 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,500 Avg Student Debt

$103,494 Median Earnings (10yr)

Georgetown University tops our 2026 list of the best value development economics & international development schools in District of Columbia. Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $16,500 in student loans. Development Economics & International Development graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $81,892 early in their careers. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.

2

American University
Washington, DC

$58,771 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,625 Avg Student Debt

$77,370 Median Earnings (10yr)

American University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $22,625 in student loans. Development Economics & International Development graduates of American University earn a median of $72,527 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,625 median debt. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.

View All Development Economics & International Development Rankings >

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 · 4 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.