2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Kentucky
[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science & government education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 21 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for political science & government students.
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Featured Political Science & Government Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Political Science
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
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2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Kentucky
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
Leading the list is Berea College, our #1 best value for political science & government in Kentucky. Located in the town of Berea, Berea College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $51,658 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $5,801 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $31,428. That is a strong return on a $5,801 median debt. Roughly 19% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Northern Kentucky University, which ranked #2. Northern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. In-state tuition and fees average $11,088, while out-of-state students pay about $21,912. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $23,250. Political Science & Government graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median of $52,565 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Murray State University, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,900, with out-of-state students paying around $19,836. Students borrow a median of $23,420 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $48,423. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Kentucky University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Eastern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the town of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,320, with out-of-state students paying around $21,230. Students borrow a median of $21,498 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of Eastern Kentucky University earn a median of $35,899 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Western Kentucky University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,652, compared with $27,000 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $20,500. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $23,294. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Kentucky came in at #6 for value in political science & government this year. University Of Kentucky is a very large public school located in the city of Lexington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, while out-of-state students pay about $34,140. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $21,667. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $34,745. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
University Of Louisville earned the #7 position for value in political science & government this year. University Of Louisville is a very large public school located in the city of Louisville. Students from in state pay about $13,136 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of $31,777 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. University Of Louisville admits about 79% of applicants.
Centre College came in at #8 for value in political science & government this year. Located in the town of Danville, Centre College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $52,820. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $26,560 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Centre College generally make around $32,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Centre College admits about 54% 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 · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
