Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Applied Economics

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Applied Economics (Income $0-$30k)

18 Ranked Colleges
384 Degrees Awarded
$15,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Applied Economics is the 497th most popular major in the country with 652 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 384 applied economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in applied economics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great applied economics programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the applied economics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The applied economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Applied Economics (Income $0-$30k)

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Applied Economics Report

#2

Pitzer College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pitzer College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pitzer is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 1 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitzer also took the #2 spot in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pitzer is $15,922 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at Pitzer

#3

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, New York
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Farmingdale State College landed the #3 spot on the list. Farmingdale State College is a fairly large public school situated in Farmingdale, New York. It awarded 14 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is $3,469 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale Applied Economics Report

#4

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $10,562 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Arizona Applied Economics Report

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Utah State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Utah State University is a large school located in Logan, Utah that handed out 1 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

USU also made our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for USU is $10,643 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full USU Applied Economics Report

#6

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 18 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Carnegie Mellon has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon University is $12,542 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Applied Economics at Carnegie Mellon

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 30 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNI has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Applied Economics at University of Northern Iowa

#8

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

Virginia Tech landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Blacksburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s applied economics degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Virginia Tech, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $11,138 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Applied Economics Report

#9

Binghamton University

Vestal, New York
#4 in overall quality

Binghamton University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Binghamton University is located in Vestal, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 137 bachelors’s applied economics degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Binghamton University, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Binghamton University is $12,686 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Binghamton University Applied Economics Report

#10

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

St Catherine University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. St Catherine University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Kate’s also made our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend St. Kate’s is $15,102 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at St Catherine University

#17 in overall quality

University of Central Oklahoma landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Edmond, Oklahoma is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s applied economics degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCO, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Oklahoma is $12,297 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Applied Economics at University of Central Oklahoma

#16 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied economics students in 2019-2020.

BGSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $14,521 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Applied Economics at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus

#18 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus also made our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $14,816 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Applied Economics at University of Akron Main Campus

#14

Ithaca College

Ithaca, New York
#12 in overall quality

Ithaca College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ithaca College is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s applied economics degrees to qualified students.

Ithaca also made our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Ithaca College is $18,855 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Applied Economics at Ithaca

#15

Ursinus College

Collegeville, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

Ursinus College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ursinus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. It awarded 47 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Ursinus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Ursinus is $19,780 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ursinus College Applied Economics Report

#16

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

DePaul University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePaul is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 4 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul also took the #15 spot in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $26,173 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full DePaul University Applied Economics Report

#17

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#8 in overall quality

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. University of San Francisco is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 1 bachelors’s applied economics degrees in 2019-2020.

USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of San Francisco is $27,690 for bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of San Francisco Applied Economics Report

#18

Bryant University

Smithfield, Rhode Island
#10 in overall quality

Bryant University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Applied Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Smithfield, Rhode Island, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s applied economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree applied economics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bryant has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Applied Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bryant is $32,455 for Bachelor’s Degree Applied Economics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Applied Economics at Bryant University

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

Featured Economics Schools

Find Schools Near You