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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science (Income $48-$75k) in Pennsylvania

59 Ranked Colleges
1,782 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 46,740 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,836 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,782 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 59 colleges that offered a degree in political science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the political science program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science (Income $48-$75k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 158 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $12,752 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at University of Pennsylvania

#2

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Swarthmore College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Swarthmore is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Swarthmore, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $13,744 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Swarthmore College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Swarthmore College Political Science Report

#3

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lafayette College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Easton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 68 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

Lafayette not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Lafayette is $17,121 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Political Science at Lafayette

#4

Haverford College

Haverford, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Haverford College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k. Haverford is a small school located in Haverford, Pennsylvania that handed out 28 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Haverford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Haverford College is $8,516 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Haverford

#5

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 59 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lehigh University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Lehigh also took the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,924 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lehigh.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Lehigh University

#6

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, Gettysburg has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $16,918 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Gettysburg College.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Gettysburg College

#7

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Franklin and Marshall College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Franklin and Marshall is a small school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that handed out 50 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, Franklin and Marshall has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Franklin and Marshall is $22,263 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Franklin and Marshall

#8

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Dickinson College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dickinson is a private not-for-profit institution located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dickinson, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dickinson College is $18,152 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Political Science at Dickinson

#9

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Bryn Mawr College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bryn Mawr College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bryn Mawr, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bryn Mawr College is $18,848 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Bryn Mawr

#10

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Mansfield University is $20,302 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science at Mansfield University

#11

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Bucknell University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bucknell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 92 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, Bucknell has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $30,416 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bucknell University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Bucknell Political Science Report

#12

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

Saint Vincent College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Saint Vincent also took the #17 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Vincent is $16,727 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Saint Vincent

#13

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized school located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania that handed out 20 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

SRU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for SRU is $19,459 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science at SRU

#14

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

Albright College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Reading, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Albright College is $17,014 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Political Science at Albright

#15

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania

Westminster College Pennsylvania ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Westminster New Wilmington is $18,575 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Westminster College Pennsylvania

#16

Muhlenberg College

Allentown, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Muhlenberg College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Muhlenberg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Muhlenberg is $24,785 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Muhlenberg

#17

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania

West Chester University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this fairly large public school handed out 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend WCUPA is $21,156 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at WCUPA

#18

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #18, University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Pitt Greensburg is a small school located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 5 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is $17,973 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Pitt Greensburg

#19

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Pitt Johnstown is $18,925 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Pitt Johnstown

#20

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
#20 in overall quality

Messiah University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Messiah, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,999 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Messiah.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Messiah

#21

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Etown is $22,453 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Etown Political Science Report

#22

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#24 in overall quality

Temple University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. Temple is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 137 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Temple also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Temple University is $21,743 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Political Science at Temple University

#23

York College of Pennsylvania

York, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #23, York College of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k list. York College of Pennsylvania is a small school located in York, Pennsylvania that handed out 13 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend YCP is $17,909 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full YCP Political Science Report

#24

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

Villanova University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Villanova University is located in Villanova, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 103 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, Villanova has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Villanova University is $30,371 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Villanova Political Science Report

#25

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Lycoming College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Lycoming College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,691 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lycoming College.

Read full report on Political Science at Lycoming College

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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