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2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

60 Ranked Colleges
1,830 Degrees Awarded
$14,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Political Science & Government is the 21st most popular major in the country with 48,597 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,977 and had an average of $22,822 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,897 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,459 and $25,260 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,830 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 60 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science and government. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science and government programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the political science and government program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 158 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k list, UPenn has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $4,833 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full UPenn Political Science & Government Report

#2

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Out of the 60 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Swarthmore College landed the #2 spot on the list. Swarthmore is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Swarthmore did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Swarthmore is $8,701 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Swarthmore

#3

Haverford College

Haverford, Pennsylvania

Out of the 60 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Haverford College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

Haverford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $6,498 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Haverford.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Haverford

#4

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lafayette College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lafayette is a small school located in Easton, Pennsylvania that handed out 85 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lafayette, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lafayette College is $11,360 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lafayette Political Science & Government Report

#5

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bryn Mawr College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bryn Mawr is located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bryn Mawr, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bryn Mawr College is $9,007 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bryn Mawr Political Science & Government Report

#6

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, Dickinson College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dickinson is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dickinson, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dickinson is $12,662 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

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.

Full Dickinson College Political Science & Government Report

#7

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lehigh is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lehigh, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lehigh is $13,363 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Lehigh

#8

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Gettysburg College is a small school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 74 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Gettysburg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $14,029 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Gettysburg College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Gettysburg

#9

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lancaster, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.

Franklin and Marshall not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Franklin and Marshall is $12,000 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Franklin and Marshall

#10

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #10, University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pitt Johnstown is a public institution located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is $16,998 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 & Government at Pitt Johnstown

#11

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Mansfield University is a public institution located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is $16,252 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Political Science & Government Report

#12

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pitt Greensburg is a small school located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 5 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,602 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg.

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 full report on Political Science & Government at Pitt Greensburg

#13

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Lycoming College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lycoming College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It awarded 10 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,089 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lycoming College.

Full Lycoming College Political Science & Government Report

#14

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SRU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $15,470 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Political Science & Government Report

#15

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

Albright College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Albright is $15,867 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Albright College Political Science & Government Report

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 186 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pitt, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is $21,011 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 & Government at University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

#17

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

Saint Vincent College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Saint Vincent College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It awarded 4 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Saint Vincent did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Saint Vincent College is $14,915 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Saint Vincent College Political Science & Government Report

#18

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania

West Chester University of Pennsylvania ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $17,966 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science & Government at WCUPA

#19

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania

Westminster College Pennsylvania landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. New Wilmington, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Westminster College Pennsylvania is $17,505 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Westminster New Wilmington

#20

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #20, Elizabethtown College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Elizabethtown College is a small school located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania that handed out 15 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Elizabethtown College is $20,837 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Elizabethtown College Political Science & Government Report

#21

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
#22 in overall quality

Susquehanna University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Susquehanna, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,548 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Susquehanna University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Susquehanna

#22

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is a small school located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania that handed out 11 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is $13,986 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Edinboro

#23

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bloomsburg is a medium-sized public school situated in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 24 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bloomsburg is $16,232 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Bloomsburg Political Science & Government Report

#24

Allegheny College

Meadville, Pennsylvania

Allegheny College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Allegheny is $16,523 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Allegheny College

#25

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Temple University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k 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 took the #24 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $18,879 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Temple.

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 & Government at Temple

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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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