2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Middle Atlantic 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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong development economics & international development education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for development economics & international development students.
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2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the development economics & international development degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools
For return on investment in development economics & international development, no school beat Cornell University this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $84,967. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,926, with out-of-state students paying around $41,430. Students borrow a median of $25,782 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Development Economics & International Development graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $50,529 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Seton Hall University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Set in the suburb of South Orange, Seton Hall University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,170. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $21,413 in student loans. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $51,464. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Seton Hall University admits about 73% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Pennsylvania State University Main Campus one of the best values for development economics & international development. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. Students from in state pay about $20,644 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,790. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University Main Campus generally make around $55,418. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Georgetown University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in development economics & international development, landing the #5 spot this year. Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $81,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.
American University came in at #6 for value in development economics & international development this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,771. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $22,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from American University generally make around $72,527. That is a strong return on a $22,625 median debt. Roughly 62% 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.