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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government in Pennsylvania (With Aid)

60 Ranked Colleges
1,830 Degrees Awarded
$22,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 60 colleges that offer a degree in political science and government. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great political science and government programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the political science and government program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The political science school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government in Pennsylvania (With Aid)

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 60 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 158 students in 2019-2020.

UPenn also made our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $25,802 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at University of Pennsylvania

#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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Swarthmore College landed the #2 spot on the list. Swarthmore is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, Swarthmore has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Swarthmore is $19,184 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Swarthmore College

#3

Haverford College

Haverford, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Haverford College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid. Haverford, 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 28 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. The yearly cost to attend Haverford is $22,991 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Haverford

#4

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Out of the 60 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, SRU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,926 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Political Science & Government Report

#5

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, this small public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Mansfield University is $19,065 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Full Mansfield University Political Science & Government Report

#6

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is a public institution located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is $17,823 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

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 Greensburg

#7

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

Saint Vincent College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, Saint Vincent has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Vincent is $16,634 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Saint Vincent

#8

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Lafayette is located in Easton, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 85 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

Lafayette not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lafayette is $32,551 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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.

Full Lafayette College Political Science & Government Report

#9

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania

West Chester University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $22,495 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend WCUPA.

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 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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at WCUPA

With a ranking of #10, University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 186 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt also took the #12 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pitt is $27,938 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

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

#11

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students 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 estimated yearly cost for Lehigh University is $29,301 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Lehigh University

#12

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is $20,230 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Full Bloomsburg Political Science & Government Report

#13

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #13, Albright College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Albright College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Albright College is $19,469 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Full Albright College Political Science & Government Report

#14

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Edinboro is located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is $16,833 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Full Edinboro Political Science & Government Report

#15

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. This small school is located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,712 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown.

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 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

#16

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Stroudsburg University is a medium-sized public school situated in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 21 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,855 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend East Stroudsburg University.

Full East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Political Science & Government Report

#17

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 50 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, Franklin and Marshall has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $30,281 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend Franklin and Marshall College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Full Franklin and Marshall Political Science & Government Report

#18

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Lycoming College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,580 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend Lycoming.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Lycoming

#19

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 137 students in 2019-2020.

Temple not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $23,521 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend Temple.

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

Read more about Political Science & Government at Temple University

#19

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania

Millersville University of Pennsylvania came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school awarded 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Millersville is $23,350 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Millersville University of Pennsylvania

#21

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania

Westminster College Pennsylvania landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. Westminster New Wilmington is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Westminster New Wilmington is $20,172 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Westminster New Wilmington Political Science & Government Report

#22

Rosemont College

Rosemont, Pennsylvania

Rosemont College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Rosemont is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. It awarded 5 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Rosemont is $22,680 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Rosemont

#23

York College of Pennsylvania

York, Pennsylvania

York College of Pennsylvania landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking. York College of Pennsylvania is a small school located in York, Pennsylvania that handed out 13 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,652 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend YCP.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 full report on Political Science & Government at YCP

#24

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #24, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid list. Ship is a medium-sized school located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 27 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $22,054 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Full Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Political Science & Government Report

#25

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

Lock Haven University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. Lock Haven University is a small school located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania that handed out 4 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Lock Haven University is $20,506 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Lock Haven University

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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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