2027 Best Value Ethics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Ethics](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/ethics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for ethics students.
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2027 Best Value Ethics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in ethics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Ethics Schools
For return on investment in ethics, no school beat University Of Maryland Baltimore County this year. University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, with out-of-state students paying around $31,225. Students borrow a median of $21,331 to complete the ethics program here. Ethics graduates of University Of Maryland Baltimore County earn a median of $49,179 early in their careers. Set against $21,331 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maryland Baltimore County admits about 72% of applicants.
Temple University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ethics, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $23,005, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Ethics graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, ethics degree recipients from Temple University generally make around $28,648. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Syracuse University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ethics, landing the #3 spot this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. In-state tuition and fees average $65,528. Typical student debt for ethics graduates is $23,250. Ethics graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ethics, landing the #4 spot this year. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,139 to complete the ethics program here. Ethics graduates of American University earn a median of $58,030 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Fordham University earned it the #5 place for ethics. Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bronx. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,470. Students borrow a median of $22,999 to complete the ethics program here. Early-career ethics graduates make about $59,403. Set against $22,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 59%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.