2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Arkansas
[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 17 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 Arkansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political science & government degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Science & Government Schools
Our analysis ranked Arkansas Tech University the best value for a degree in political science & government in Arkansas. Located in the town of Russellville, Arkansas Tech University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,674, while out-of-state students pay about $14,668. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $23,257 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn a median of $45,115 early in their careers. Set against $23,257 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arkansas State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for political science & government. Arkansas State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Jonesboro. Students from in state pay about $8,090 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,522. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $18,500 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of Arkansas State University Main Campus earn a median of $48,847 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science & government, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,911, compared with $22,721 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,093 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earn a median of $47,170 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,093 median debt. The acceptance rate is 59%.
University Of Central Arkansas came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Located in the city of Conway, University Of Central Arkansas is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,523, with out-of-state students paying around $18,023. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $21,150. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of Central Arkansas generally make around $31,348. Set against $21,150 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at University Of Arkansas, which ranked #5. University Of Arkansas is a very large public school located in the city of Fayetteville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,104, compared with $29,966 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $25,370 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Arkansas earn a median of $33,745 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Harding University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Located in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,962. Students borrow a median of $26,715 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Harding University generally make around $53,629. Set against $26,715 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Harding University admits about 70% of applicants.
Hendrix College landed the #7 spot for political science & government value this year. Hendrix College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Conway. In-state tuition and fees average $38,200. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $25,072. Political Science & Government graduates of Hendrix College earn a median of $27,605 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,072 median debt. Hendrix College admits about 56% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
