2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Indiana
[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 32 schools to find the best return on investment for political science & government students.
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2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Indiana
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 Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, our #1 best value for political science & government in Indiana. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,762 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $34,891. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $36,535. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis admits about 76% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #2. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $20,000. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $39,708. Set against $20,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
University Of Southern Indiana came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Located in the suburb of Evansville, University Of Southern Indiana is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,066, while out-of-state students pay about $22,907. Students borrow a median of $21,999 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Southern Indiana earn a median of $47,216 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern Indiana admits about 96% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne one of the best values for political science & government. Located in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $24,119 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne generally make around $49,424. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Indiana University Bloomington, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,144, compared with $41,891 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,951 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $32,568. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Indiana State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Located in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,258, while out-of-state students pay about $22,322. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $25,987 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Indiana State University generally make around $33,352. Set against $25,987 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Ball State University came in at #7 for value in political science & government this year. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Students from in state pay about $11,082 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,630. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $25,410. Political Science & Government graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $39,755 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,410 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Taylor University came in at #8 for value in political science & government this year. Taylor University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Upland. Students from in state pay about $40,490 in tuition and fees. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $21,832 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of Taylor University earn a median of $45,090 early in their careers. Set against $21,832 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Notre Dame ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,025. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $55,316. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Butler University earned the #10 position for value in political science & government this year. Butler University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,560. Students borrow a median of $25,351 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Butler University generally make around $68,222. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 32 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
