2027 Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools in New York
[Urban Studies/Affairs](/majors/social-sciences/urban-studies/urban-studies-affairs/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong urban studies/affairs education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for urban studies/affairs students.
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2027 Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the urban studies/affairs degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools
Leading the list is Cuny Hunter College, our #1 best value for urban studies/affairs in New York. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,382 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,332 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for urban studies/affairs graduates is $11,091. Soon after graduation, urban studies/affairs degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $72,012. That is a strong return on a $11,091 median debt. The acceptance rate is 54%.
Cuny Queens College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value urban studies/affairs schools. Set in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,538 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,488. Students borrow a median of $12,201 to complete the urban studies/affairs program here. Early-career urban studies/affairs graduates make about $52,912. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
University At Buffalo came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value urban studies/affairs schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Typical student debt for urban studies/affairs graduates is $22,232. Urban Studies/affairs graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $52,403 early in their careers. Set against $22,232 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Columbia University In The City Of New York earned it the #4 place for urban studies/affairs. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $70,517 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for urban studies/affairs graduates is $23,258. Early-career urban studies/affairs graduates make about $86,770. That is a strong return on a $23,258 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
A rank of #5 makes Barnard College one of the best values for urban studies/affairs. Barnard College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $69,888 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for urban studies/affairs graduates is $19,000. Early-career urban studies/affairs graduates make about $40,294. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
New York University placed #6 among the best values for urban studies/affairs. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Students borrow a median of $21,897 to complete the urban studies/affairs program here. Soon after graduation, urban studies/affairs degree recipients from New York University generally make around $64,516. That is a strong return on a $21,897 median debt. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Fordham University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value urban studies/affairs schools. Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bronx. Students from in state pay about $64,470 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for urban studies/affairs graduates is $25,643. Early-career urban studies/affairs graduates make about $59,403. Set against $25,643 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 59% of applicants are accepted.
More Urban Studies/Affairs Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 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.
