2027 Best Value Economics Schools in Indiana

[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) 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 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value economics schools.
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2027 Best Value Economics Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Economics Schools
Our analysis ranked Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis the best value for a degree in economics in Indiana. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,762, while out-of-state students pay about $34,891. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $18,711. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis generally make around $45,443. Set against $18,711 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Purdue University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Economics graduates carry a median of $24,700 in student loans. Early-career economics graduates make about $59,187. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
University Of Southern Indiana came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value economics schools. University Of Southern Indiana is a large public school located in the suburb of Evansville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,066, compared with $22,907 for out-of-state students. Economics graduates carry a median of $21,999 in student loans. Economics graduates of University Of Southern Indiana earn a median of $47,216 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,999 median debt. University Of Southern Indiana admits about 96% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ball State University earned it the #4 place for economics. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,082 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,630. Economics graduates carry a median of $22,054 in student loans. Economics graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $56,782 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,054 median debt. Ball State University admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Indiana University Bloomington one of the best values for economics. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,144, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Economics graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career economics graduates make about $59,142. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana University Bloomington admits about 78% of applicants.
Depauw University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value economics schools. Depauw University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Greencastle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,070. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $26,978. Economics graduates of Depauw University earn a median of $63,395 early in their careers. Set against $26,978 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Wabash College earned the #7 position for value in economics this year. Wabash College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Crawfordsville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,800. Economics graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Economics graduates of Wabash College earn a median of $51,815 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 63%.
University Of Notre Dame came in at #8 for value in economics this year. University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Notre Dame. In-state tuition and fees average $65,025. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $19,965. Economics graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of $76,299 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,965 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.