2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Colorado

[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science & government education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 21 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value political science & government schools.
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2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in political science & government, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Political Science & Government Schools
Leading the list is Colorado State University Pueblo, our #1 best value for political science & government in Colorado. Located in the city of Pueblo, Colorado State University Pueblo is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,720, while out-of-state students pay about $17,944. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $25,325 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Colorado State University Pueblo generally make around $49,098. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colorado State University Pueblo admits about 95% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Metropolitan State College Of Denver one of the best values for political science & government. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,124, compared with $30,684 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $23,500. Political Science & Government graduates of Metropolitan State College Of Denver earn a median of $39,920 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Metropolitan State College Of Denver admits about 99% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Mesa State College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Grand Junction, Mesa State College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,927, with out-of-state students paying around $25,124. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $22,310. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Mesa State College generally make around $43,617. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Mesa State College admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs one of the best values for political science & government. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public school located in the city of Colorado Springs. Students from in state pay about $10,906 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,039. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $17,625 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $37,295. Set against $17,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Northern Colorado one of the best values for political science & government. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $20,250 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $37,458. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Denver landed the #6 spot for political science & government value this year. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,383 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,391 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $21,066 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of Colorado Denver generally make around $52,262. That is a strong return on a $21,066 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado State University Fort Collins placed #7 among the best values for political science & government. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $19,500. Political Science & Government graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $36,324 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Boulder earned the #8 position for value in political science & government this year. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,214, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $19,500. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $39,954. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
Colorado College earned the #9 position for value in political science & government this year. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $70,734 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $17,921. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Colorado College generally make around $37,342. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 18%.
University Of Denver placed #10 among the best values for political science & government. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,398. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $22,000. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Denver earn a median of $38,059 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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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 · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.