2027 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in District of Columbia
[Ethnic Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for ethnic studies students.
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2027 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the ethnic studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools
For return on investment in ethnic studies, no school beat Gallaudet University this year. Set in the city of Washington, Gallaudet University is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,654. Students borrow a median of $28,125 to complete the ethnic studies program here. Ethnic Studies graduates of Gallaudet University earn a median of $31,541 early in their careers. Set against $28,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 58%.
American University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value ethnic studies schools. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Ethnic Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, ethnic studies degree recipients from American University generally make around $46,206. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 62%.
A rank of #3 makes Howard University one of the best values for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $35,810. Typical student debt for ethnic studies graduates is $25,498. Soon after graduation, ethnic studies degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 41% of applicants are accepted.
More Ethnic Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
