2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in District of Columbia
[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for general economics students.
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2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Economics Schools
For return on investment in general economics, no school beat George Washington University this year. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $23,250. General Economics graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $75,236 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general economics will find it at Georgetown University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Georgetown University generally make around $79,632. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 13%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at American University earned it the #3 place for general economics. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $22,625. Early-career general economics graduates make about $72,527. Set against $22,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
Howard University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,810. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 41% 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.
