2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value development economics & international development schools.
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2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in development economics & international development, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools
For return on investment in development economics & international development, no school beat Purdue University Main Campus this year. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Students borrow a median of $24,700 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Development Economics & International Development graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $59,187 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,700 median debt. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in development economics & international development will find it at University Of Wisconsin Madison, which ranked #2. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $20,750. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $64,223. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Madison admits about 45% of applicants.
Cleveland State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Cleveland State University is a large public school located in the city of Cleveland. In-state tuition and fees average $12,982, compared with $18,502 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $32,500 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $44,759. Set against $32,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Students looking for strong value in development economics & international development will find it at Ohio University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $19,750 in student loans. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $66,237. Set against $19,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.