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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $48-$75k) in Pennsylvania

44 Ranked Colleges
1,683 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,802 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,304 and $24,346 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,683 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 44 colleges that offered a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $48-$75k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 44 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. UPenn is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 225 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UPenn has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $12,752 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UPenn.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at University of Pennsylvania

#2

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Swarthmore College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 84 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Swarthmore has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Swarthmore College is $13,744 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at Swarthmore College

#3

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

Out of the 44 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lafayette College landed the #3 spot on the list. Easton, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 117 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Lafayette has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lafayette is $17,121 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Lafayette Economics Report

#4

Haverford College

Haverford, Pennsylvania

Out of the 44 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Haverford College landed the #4 spot on the list. Haverford College is a small school located in Haverford, Pennsylvania that handed out 38 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Haverford also took the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Haverford College is $8,516 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Haverford College Economics Report

#5

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Out of the 44 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Gettysburg College landed the #5 spot on the list. Gettysburg is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 74 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Gettysburg has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gettysburg College is $16,918 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Economics at Gettysburg

#6

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon is $18,276 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Economics at Carnegie Mellon

#7

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 54 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Dickinson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $18,152 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Dickinson.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Economics at Dickinson College

#8

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 62 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Franklin and Marshall, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,263 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Franklin and Marshall.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Franklin and Marshall

#9

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Bryn Mawr College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bryn Mawr College is a small school located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania that handed out 10 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Bryn Mawr also made our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Bryn Mawr is $18,848 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Economics at Bryn Mawr College

#10

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
#19 in overall quality

Saint Vincent College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. Saint Vincent is a small school located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania that handed out 7 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Saint Vincent has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Vincent is $16,727 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Saint Vincent

#11

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #11, Westminster College Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Westminster New Wilmington is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. It awarded 7 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,575 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Westminster College Pennsylvania.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Westminster New Wilmington

#12

Muhlenberg College

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Muhlenberg College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Muhlenberg, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Muhlenberg College is $24,785 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Economics at Muhlenberg College

#13

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SRU is $19,459 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full SRU Economics Report

#14

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lewisburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Bucknell has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $30,416 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bucknell University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at Bucknell University

#15

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #15, Albright College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Albright College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Albright is $17,014 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Albright College Economics Report

#16

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
#21 in overall quality

Messiah University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Messiah, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Messiah University is $22,999 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at Messiah University

#17

Allegheny College

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Allegheny College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Allegheny, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Allegheny College is $19,508 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Allegheny

#18

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Edinboro, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,079 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Edinboro.

Read more about Economics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

#19

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania

Villanova University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Villanova is a private not-for-profit institution located in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 123 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Villanova did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $30,371 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Villanova.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Villanova University

#20

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Elizabethtown College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Elizabethtown College is $22,453 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Etown Economics Report

#21

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

Bradford, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Bradford, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,803 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Pitt Bradford.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Pitt Bradford

With a ranking of #22, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 181 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

Pitt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is $25,110 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#23

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is $19,625 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Economics at Bloomsburg

#24

York College of Pennsylvania

York, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #24, York College of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. YCP is a small school located in York, Pennsylvania that handed out 2 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,909 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend York College of Pennsylvania.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at YCP

#25

Washington & Jefferson College

Washington, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Washington & Jefferson College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Washington & Jefferson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $48-$75k list, W&J has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,940 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend W&J.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Washington & Jefferson College Economics Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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