2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in Massachusetts
[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for development economics & international development students.
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2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in Massachusetts
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 Williams College this year. Located in the town of Williamstown, Williams College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,560 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $12,925. Development Economics & International Development graduates of Williams College earn a median of $80,888 early in their careers. Set against $12,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Williams College admits about 8% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in development economics & international development will find it at Boston University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. Development Economics & International Development graduates of Boston University earn a median of $63,598 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
Northeastern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in development economics & international development, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Boston, Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $66,162. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Northeastern University generally make around $70,531. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 5%.
A rank of #4 makes Brandeis University one of the best values for development economics & international development. Brandeis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waltham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,080. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $25,295. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Brandeis University generally make around $63,244. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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 3 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.
