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2026 Best Value Learning Sciences Schools in California

[Learning Sciences](/majors/education/educational-assessment/learning-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for learning sciences students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Learning Sciences Schools in California

2026 Best Value Learning Sciences Schools in California

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the learning sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Learning Sciences Schools

1

National University
San Diego, CA

$13,284 In-State Tuition & Fees

$30,426 Avg Student Debt

$67,548 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in learning sciences, no school beat National University this year. Set in the city of San Diego, National University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,284. Learning Sciences graduates carry a median of $30,426 in student loans. Early-career learning sciences graduates make about $69,080. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

University Of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA

$71,647 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,625 Avg Student Debt

$92,498 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Southern California came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value learning sciences schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Learning Sciences graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, learning sciences degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $91,029. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.

View All Learning Sciences Rankings >

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 · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.