2026 Best Value Political Economy Schools in the Far Western Region
[Political Economy](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/political-economy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value political economy schools.
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Featured Political Economy Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Political Science
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
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2026 Best Value Political Economy Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political economy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Economy Schools
For return on investment in political economy, no school beat California State University San Bernardino this year. Set in the city of San Bernardino, California State University San Bernardino is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,088, compared with $20,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political economy graduates is $17,045. Soon after graduation, political economy degree recipients from California State University San Bernardino generally make around $42,421. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California State University San Bernardino admits about 94% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Washington Bothell Campus earned it the #2 place for political economy. Located in the suburb of Bothell, University Of Washington Bothell Campus is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $12,919 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,155 for out-of-state students. Political Economy graduates carry a median of $14,000 in student loans. Early-career political economy graduates make about $41,246. That is a strong return on a $14,000 median debt. University Of Washington Bothell Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political economy will find it at University Of Southern California, which ranked #3. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Students borrow a median of $12,869 to complete the political economy program here. Soon after graduation, political economy degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $38,063. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Puget Sound one of the best values for political economy. Set in the city of Tacoma, University Of Puget Sound is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,898. Typical student debt for political economy graduates is $22,801. Early-career political economy graduates make about $31,290. That is a strong return on a $22,801 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 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.
