by our College Data Analytics Team
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for economics students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in economics, no school beat Brown University this year. Set in the city of Providence, Brown University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,312. Economics graduates carry a median of $13,000 in student loans. Economics graduates of Brown University earn a median of $72,064 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 5%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Rhode Island one of the best values for economics. Located in the suburb of Kingston, University Of Rhode Island is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,942, compared with $37,146 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,375 to complete the economics program here. Economics graduates of University Of Rhode Island earn a median of $43,444 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,375 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Bryant University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value economics schools. Located in the suburb of Smithfield, Bryant University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,677. Economics graduates carry a median of $26,233 in student loans. Early-career economics graduates make about $52,020. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bryant University admits about 66% of applicants.
Providence College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #4 spot this year. Providence College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Students from in state pay about $63,550 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the economics program here. Economics graduates of Providence College earn a median of $69,364 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 51% of applicants are accepted.
1
2
3
4
This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.