2027 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Virginia
[Public Policy](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-policy/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public policy students.
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2027 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public policy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Policy Schools
For return on investment in public policy, no school beat George Mason University this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the public policy program here. Soon after graduation, public policy degree recipients from George Mason University generally make around $74,616. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public policy will find it at College Of William And Mary, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,734, with out-of-state students paying around $51,038. Typical student debt for public policy graduates is $22,000. Public Policy graduates of College Of William And Mary earn a median of $36,703 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 34%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Virginia Main Campus earned it the #3 place for public policy. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, compared with $61,591 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,627 to complete the public policy program here. Early-career public policy graduates make about $71,078. Set against $18,627 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 17%.
Students looking for strong value in public policy will find it at Regent University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Regent University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,650. Typical student debt for public policy graduates is $24,500. Public Policy graduates of Regent University earn a median of $38,546 early in their careers. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public policy, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,468 to complete the public policy program here. Soon after graduation, public policy degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $60,004. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Liberty University earned the #6 position for value in public policy this year. Set in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,173 in tuition and fees. Public Policy graduates carry a median of $27,414 in student loans. Early-career public policy graduates make about $58,353. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 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.
