2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in Georgia

[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for development economics & international development students.
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2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in Georgia
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 Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus this year. Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,058, while out-of-state students pay about $34,484. Students borrow a median of $24,323 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $83,560. Set against $24,323 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Emory University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in development economics & international development, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Atlanta, Emory University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $64,280 in tuition and fees. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $21,000 in student loans. Development Economics & International Development graduates of Emory University earn a median of $70,446 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 11%.
A rank of #3 makes Covenant College one of the best values for development economics & international development. Covenant College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lookout Mountain. Students from in state pay about $42,040 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,700 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Covenant College generally make around $37,404. Set against $23,700 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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.