2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Alabama

[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science & government education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 19 schools to find the best return on investment for political science & government students.
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2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in political science & government, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Political Science & Government Schools
For return on investment in political science & government, no school beat University Of North Alabama this year. Set in the city of Florence, University Of North Alabama is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,120, with out-of-state students paying around $22,320. Students borrow a median of $21,449 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of North Alabama earn a median of $41,357 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Troy University, which ranked #2. Troy University is a large public school located in the town of Troy. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,176, compared with $20,352 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,874 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Troy University generally make around $46,279. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Alabama State University earned it the #3 place for political science & government. Alabama State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Montgomery. Students from in state pay about $11,248 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,576. Students borrow a median of $33,709 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $37,721. Set against $33,709 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Alabama A And M University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Alabama A And M University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Normal. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,024, with out-of-state students paying around $18,634. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $31,896 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $45,909. That is a strong return on a $31,896 median debt. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Jacksonville State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science & government, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Jacksonville, Jacksonville State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,894, compared with $23,334 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $24,751 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Jacksonville State University generally make around $45,361. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Jacksonville State University admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of South Alabama placed #6 among the best values for political science & government. Set in the city of Mobile, University Of South Alabama is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,116, compared with $19,092 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,513 to complete the political science & government program here. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of South Alabama generally make around $51,592. That is a strong return on a $26,513 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Montevallo earned the #7 position for value in political science & government this year. Located in the town of Montevallo, University Of Montevallo is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $13,948 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $26,968. Students borrow a median of $25,096 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Montevallo earn a median of $36,673 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,096 median debt. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham landed the #8 spot for political science & government value this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,098 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,562. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $34,474. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. University Of Alabama At Birmingham admits about 88% of applicants.
The University Of Alabama earned the #9 position for value in political science & government this year. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, while out-of-state students pay about $34,172. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $23,785 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $32,699. That is a strong return on a $23,785 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Auburn University earned the #10 position for value in political science & government this year. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. In-state tuition and fees average $12,890, while out-of-state students pay about $34,922. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $23,700 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $32,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.