2026 Best Value Social Psychology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Social Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/social-psychology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for social psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Social Psychology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Psychology Schools
For return on investment in social psychology, no school beat Cuny Hunter College this year. Cuny Hunter College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,382, with out-of-state students paying around $15,332. Social Psychology graduates carry a median of $11,091 in student loans. Social Psychology graduates of Cuny Hunter College earn a median of $51,372 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in social psychology will find it at Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Abington, Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,268 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,664. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington admits about 97% of applicants.
Swarthmore College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value social psychology schools. Located in the suburb of Swarthmore, Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,494. Typical student debt for social psychology graduates is $19,500. Early-career social psychology graduates make about $66,971. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Pennsylvania Western University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value social psychology schools. Set in the town of California, Pennsylvania Western University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,436 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $16,054. Graduates go on to earn a median of $47,295 ten years after entry. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia University In The City Of New York is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Social Psychology graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career social psychology graduates make about $86,770. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
University Of Rochester earned the #6 position for value in social psychology this year. Located in the city of Rochester, University Of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,080. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the social psychology program here. Social Psychology graduates of University Of Rochester earn a median of $39,732 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 40%.
New York University landed the #7 spot for social psychology value this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,796. Students borrow a median of $21,499 to complete the social psychology program here. Early-career social psychology graduates make about $43,236. That is a strong return on a $21,499 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.
George Washington University came in at #8 for value in social psychology this year. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $67,710 in tuition and fees. Social Psychology graduates carry a median of $25,220 in student loans. Social Psychology graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $37,906 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 16 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.
