2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts

[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 18 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general social sciences students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Massachusetts Bay Community College, our #1 best value for general social sciences in Massachusetts. Set in the suburb of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,856 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,800 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $11,008 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Massachusetts Bay Community College generally make around $44,553. That is a strong return on a $11,008 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Harvard University earned it the #2 place for general social sciences. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $19,937. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $56,540. Set against $19,937 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Roxbury Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Set in the city of Roxbury Crossing, Roxbury Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,785 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,088. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $11,665 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $37,941. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Massasoit Community College earned it the #4 place for general social sciences. Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Brockton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,376, compared with $10,320 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $8,825 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Massasoit Community College generally make around $42,938. That is a strong return on a $8,825 median debt.
University Of Massachusetts Boston came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Located in the city of Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,898, compared with $38,115 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,236 to complete the general social sciences program here. General Social Sciences graduates of University Of Massachusetts Boston earn a median of $52,885 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
More General Social Sciences Rankings
View All General Social Sciences Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 18 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.