2026 Best Value Political Economy Schools in Pennsylvania
[Political Economy](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/political-economy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value political economy schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Political Economy Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political economy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Economy Schools
Our analysis ranked La Salle University the best value for a degree in political economy in Pennsylvania. La Salle University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,800. Political Economy graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political economy degree recipients from La Salle University generally make around $54,618. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. La Salle University admits about 97% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political economy will find it at Temple University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,005, while out-of-state students pay about $38,805. Political Economy graduates carry a median of $25,815 in student loans. Political Economy graduates of Temple University earn a median of $36,011 early in their careers. Set against $25,815 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Temple University admits about 80% of applicants.
Muhlenberg College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political economy, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Allentown, Muhlenberg College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,805. Students borrow a median of $26,950 to complete the political economy program here. Early-career political economy graduates make about $25,058. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Drexel University earned it the #4 place for political economy. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,412. Typical student debt for political economy graduates is $28,838. Early-career political economy graduates make about $67,556. That is a strong return on a $28,838 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 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.
