2026 Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools
[Applied & Professional Ethics](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/applied-and-professional-ethics/) 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 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 44 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for applied & professional ethics students.
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Finding the Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics School for You
Where you study applied & professional ethics affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we built our Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Read more about our methodology
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
See how we build our rankings
2026 Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the applied & professional ethics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools
Eastern Washington University earned the #1 spot for value among applied & professional ethics schools in the United States. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,586 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,583. Students borrow a median of $21,754 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from Eastern Washington University generally make around $47,144. That is a strong return on a $21,754 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New Mexico State University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for applied & professional ethics. Set in the suburb of Las Cruces, New Mexico State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,183, compared with $25,307 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $19,026. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from New Mexico State University Main Campus generally make around $41,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. New Mexico State University Main Campus admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in applied & professional ethics will find it at University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point, which ranked #3. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Stevens Point. In-state tuition and fees average $9,228, with out-of-state students paying around $18,248. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $23,380. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point earn a median of $31,662 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Wayne State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value applied & professional ethics schools. Wayne State University is a very large public school located in the city of Detroit. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $55,469. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Nevada Reno is a great value for students pursuing a degree in applied & professional ethics, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Reno, University Of Nevada Reno is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,578, compared with $27,720 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Early-career applied & professional ethics graduates make about $50,691. That is a strong return on a $18,500 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Maryland College Park landed the #6 spot for applied & professional ethics value this year. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $20,164. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $35,608. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 45%.
University Of Arizona placed #7 among the best values for applied & professional ethics. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $21,250. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $50,834. Set against $21,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Montana landed the #8 spot for applied & professional ethics value this year. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, with out-of-state students paying around $33,671. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $24,342. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of The University Of Montana earn a median of $42,654 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
University Of Louisville earned the #9 position for value in applied & professional ethics this year. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,136 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,482. Students borrow a median of $21,910 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Early-career applied & professional ethics graduates make about $58,534. That is a strong return on a $21,910 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #10 among the best values for applied & professional ethics. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,247 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $39,971 early in their careers. Set against $26,247 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Johnson University landed the #11 spot for applied & professional ethics value this year. Located in the rural area of Knoxville, Johnson University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,122. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $23,819. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of Johnson University earn a median of $34,290 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Johnson University admits about 65% of applicants.
Saint Thomas University came in at #12 for value in applied & professional ethics this year. Located in the suburb of Miami Gardens, Saint Thomas University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $34,770 in tuition and fees. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates carry a median of $24,955 in student loans. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of Saint Thomas University earn a median of $55,292 early in their careers. Set against $24,955 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Carnegie Mellon University placed #13 among the best values for applied & professional ethics. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,636. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $23,529. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University generally make around $89,327. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Loyola University Chicago came in at #14 for value in applied & professional ethics this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $53,710. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates carry a median of $25,530 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $58,568. Set against $25,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
American University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best value applied & professional ethics schools. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $58,771. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $24,139. Early-career applied & professional ethics graduates make about $58,030. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 44 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
