2027 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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong political economy education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for political economy students.
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2027 Best Value Political Economy Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in political economy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Political Economy Schools
Temple University tops our 2027 list of the best value political economy schools in Pennsylvania. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Temple University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $23,005, compared with $38,805 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,815 to complete the political economy program here. Political Economy graduates of Temple University earn a median of $36,011 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,815 median debt. Temple University admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Muhlenberg College earned it the #2 place for political economy. Muhlenberg College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Allentown. Students from in state pay about $62,805 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,950 to complete the political economy program here. Political Economy graduates of Muhlenberg College earn a median of $35,641 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Muhlenberg College admits about 72% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Drexel University earned it the #3 place for political economy. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $62,412 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $28,838 to complete the political economy program here. Soon after graduation, political economy degree recipients from Drexel University generally make around $67,556. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
More Political Economy Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
