2027 Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools in New York

[Urban & Regional Planning](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/urban-and-regional-planning/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for urban & regional planning students.
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2027 Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in urban & regional planning, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Urban & Regional Planning Schools
For return on investment in urban & regional planning, no school beat Suny At Albany this year. Suny At Albany is a very large public school located in the city of Albany. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,601, while out-of-state students pay about $30,991. Students borrow a median of $23,521 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Early-career urban & regional planning graduates make about $44,736. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny At Albany admits about 69% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Columbia University In The City Of New York one of the best values for urban & regional planning. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Urban & Regional Planning graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $72,127 early in their careers. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cornell University earned it the #3 place for urban & regional planning. Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Ithaca. Students from in state pay about $69,314 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $14,275 to complete the urban & regional planning program here. Urban & Regional Planning graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $50,877 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
New York University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban & regional planning, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for urban & regional planning graduates is $21,897. Soon after graduation, urban & regional planning degree recipients from New York University generally make around $71,369. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Pratt Institute Main is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban & regional planning, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,845. Urban & Regional Planning graduates carry a median of $25,103 in student loans. Soon after graduation, urban & regional planning degree recipients from Pratt Institute Main generally make around $38,569. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Pratt Institute Main admits about 73% of applicants.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.