2026 Best Value General Economics Schools in District of Columbia
[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general economics schools.
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2026 Best Value General Economics Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Economics Schools
George Washington University earned the #1 spot for value among general economics schools in District of Columbia. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $75,236. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 47%.
A rank of #2 makes Georgetown University one of the best values for general economics. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,089 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $79,632. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 13%.
A rank of #3 makes American University one of the best values for general economics. 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. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $22,625. General Economics 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.
Howard University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general economics, landing the #4 spot this year. Howard University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,810. General Economics graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Economics graduates of Howard University earn a median of $58,495 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 41% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
