2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Kentucky
[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong social studies education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for social studies education students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the social studies education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Social Studies Education Schools
For return on investment in social studies education, no school beat University Of The Cumberlands this year. Located in the town of Williamsburg, University Of The Cumberlands is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,875. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $22,868 in student loans. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from University Of The Cumberlands generally make around $45,541. Set against $22,868 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Kentucky earned it the #2 place for social studies education. University Of Kentucky is a very large public school located in the city of Lexington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, compared with $34,140 for out-of-state students. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $24,002 in student loans. Social Studies Education graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $42,057 early in their careers. Set against $24,002 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Campbellsville University one of the best values for social studies education. Located in the town of Campbellsville, Campbellsville University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $27,998. Students borrow a median of $24,148 to complete the social studies education program here. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Campbellsville University generally make around $43,474. That is a strong return on a $24,148 median debt. Campbellsville University admits about 80% of applicants.
More Social Studies Education Rankings
View All Social Studies Education 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 · 9 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.
