2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Washington

[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong human development & family studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value human development & family studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in human development & family studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools
Leading the list is Skagit Valley College, our #1 best value for human development & family studies in Washington. Set in the city of Mount Vernon, Skagit Valley College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,400, compared with $7,410 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,056 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Skagit Valley College earn a median of $44,860 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,056 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in human development & family studies will find it at Whatcom Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Bellingham, Whatcom Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,296, compared with $11,435 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,588 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Whatcom Community College earn a median of $51,466 early in their careers. Set against $16,588 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Eastern Washington University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Set in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,586, with out-of-state students paying around $26,583. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $19,936 in student loans. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $28,589 early in their careers. Set against $19,936 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in human development & family studies will find it at Washington State University, which ranked #4. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,391, compared with $29,950 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $24,019. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $39,880. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Central Washington University one of the best values for human development & family studies. Set in the town of Ellensburg, Central Washington University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,417 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,526. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Central Washington University earn a median of $27,006 early in their careers. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
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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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.