2026 Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for applied & professional ethics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Applied & Professional Ethics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
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
Leading the list is University Of Maryland College Park, our #1 best value for applied & professional ethics in the Middle Atlantic Region. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Students borrow a median of $20,164 to complete the applied & professional ethics program here. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $35,608 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,164 median debt. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Carnegie Mellon University one of the best values for applied & professional ethics. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,636. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Applied & Professional Ethics graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median of $89,327 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 12%.
A rank of #3 makes American University one of the best values for applied & professional ethics. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,771. Typical student debt for applied & professional ethics graduates is $24,139. Soon after graduation, applied & professional ethics degree recipients from American University generally make around $58,030. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.
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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 · 13 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.
