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2023 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

184 Colleges
$25,873 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$34,387 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Political Science & Government School for You

Political Science & Government is the #75 most popular major in the country with 2,664 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Grad Degree Search has created its Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. This report analyzed 184 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value programs for political science students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in the United States

Check out the political science programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality in Political Science & Government

$7,360 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found American Public University System to be the best value school for political science and government students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. American Military University is a fairly large private for-profit school located in the town of Charles Town.

American Military University undergraduate students pay an average of $7,360 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at American Public University System

#2

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA
$16,160 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 184 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Lynchburg.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Liberty University are $16,160 a year.

Read More…

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend The Graduate Center, CUNY. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Political Science & Government Schools list. Located in the large city of New York, The Graduate Center is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at The Graduate Center are $15,360 per year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, The Graduate Center also did well on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Political Science & Government at The Graduate Center, CUNY Report

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Illinois State University is a great value for political science and government students. Illinois State is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Normal.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Illinois State are $24,172 a year.

Illinois State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list.

Full Political Science & Government at Illinois State University Report

$13,297 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Western Illinois University is a great value for political science and government students. Located in the town of Macomb, WIU is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WIU are $13,297 a year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Western Illinois University

$14,738 Average Tuition & Fees

Northern Illinois University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for political science and government students. It came in at #6 on the list. NIU is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb.

NIU undergraduate students pay an average of $14,738 in tuition and fees each year.

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Citadel Military College of South Carolina came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. The Citadel is a small public school located in the city of Charleston.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at The Citadel are $35,826 a year.

The Citadel also claimed a spot on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

Full Political Science & Government at Citadel Military College of South Carolina Report

University of Delaware landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value political science and government programs. Located in the suburb of Newark, UD is a public college with a fairly large student population.

UD undergraduate students pay an average of $36,880 in tuition and fees each year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UD also did well on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Delaware

#9

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD

University of South Dakota did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for political science and government students. It came in at #9 on the list. USD is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Vermillion.

USD undergraduate students pay an average of $12,942 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Political Science & Government at University of South Dakota Report

#10

Villanova University

Villanova, PA

With a ranking of #10, Villanova University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for political science and government students. Located in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.

Villanova undergraduate students pay an average of $59,020 in tuition and fees each year.

Villanova excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Villanova University

#11

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

Cornell University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for political science and government students. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.

Cornell undergraduate students pay an average of $61,015 in tuition and fees each year.

Cornell also claimed a spot on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Full Political Science & Government at Cornell University Report

$11,880 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value political science and government programs. Located in the city of Akron, University of Akron Main Campus is a public school with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at University of Akron Main Campus are $11,880 per year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Akron Main Campus

$12,698 Average Tuition & Fees

Arkansas State University - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. A-State is a large public school located in the city of Jonesboro.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at A-State are $12,698 per year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Arkansas State University - Main Campus

$18,186 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #14, Texas Woman’s University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for political science and government students. TWU is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Denton.

TWU undergraduate students pay an average of $18,186 in tuition and fees each year.

Full Political Science & Government at Texas Woman’s University Report

Teachers College at Columbia University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. Teachers College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of New York.

In addition to its great value ranking, Teachers College is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list.

Full Political Science & Government at Teachers College at Columbia University Report

#16

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI

Marquette University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value political science and government programs. Marquette is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Milwaukee.

Marquette undergraduate students pay an average of $45,766 in tuition and fees each year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, Marquette also did well on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Political Science & Government at Marquette University Report

$18,857 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value political science and government programs. UIS is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Springfield.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UIS are $18,857 per year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Illinois at Springfield

#18

Augusta University

Augusta, GA

Augusta University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Political Science & Government Schools list. Located in the city of Augusta, Augusta University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Augusta University are $24,400 per year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, Augusta University also did well on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Augusta University

#19

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX
$22,559 Average Tuition & Fees

Texas State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. Texas State is a very large public school located in the city of San Marcos.

Texas State undergraduate students pay an average of $22,559 in tuition and fees each year.

Read More…

$21,718 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Political Science & Government Schools list. Located in the large city of Omaha, UNOMAHA is a public college with a large student population.

UNOMAHA undergraduate students pay an average of $21,718 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Nebraska at Omaha

The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for political science and government students. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public college with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UT Austin are $40,996 a year.

UT Austin also claimed a spot on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at The University of Texas at Austin

University of California - Berkeley landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value political science and government programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public school with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UC Berkeley are $43,980 a year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UC Berkeley also is in the top 5% of our Best Political Science & Government Schools ranking.

Full Political Science & Government at University of California - Berkeley Report

#23

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX
$18,752 Average Tuition & Fees

Sam Houston State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Political Science & Government Schools list. Located in the distant town of Huntsville, SHSU is a public school with a very large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SHSU are $18,752 per year.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Sam Houston State University

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for political science and government students. It came in at #24 on the list. Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public school with a very large student population.

UW - Madison undergraduate students pay an average of $38,608 in tuition and fees each year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - Madison also did well on our Best Political Science & Government Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Wisconsin - Madison

$20,906 Average Tuition & Fees

University of North Texas came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools ranking. UNT is a fairly large public school located in the city of Denton.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UNT are $20,906 a year.

Full Political Science & Government at University of North Texas Report

Rest of the Top Best Value Political Science & Government Schools

#26

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA
#27

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Political Science & Government Schools award.

Rank College Location
28 Yale University New Haven, CT
29 George Washington University Washington, DC
30 University of South Florida - Main Campus Tampa, FL
31 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA
32 San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA
32 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
34 Rice University Houston, TX
35 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
36 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL

Political Science & Government by Region

View the Best Value Political Science & Government Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

One of 12 majors within the area of study, political science and government has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 6,173
International Relations & National Security 5,010
Geography & Cartography 2,315
Sociology 1,907
Anthropology 1,446

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to UKWiki at English Wikipedia.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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