2026 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Sociology & Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology-and-anthropology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value sociology & anthropology schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the sociology & anthropology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Sociology & Anthropology Schools
Leading the list is Cuny College Of Staten Island, our #1 best value for sociology & anthropology in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the city of Staten Island, Cuny College Of Staten Island is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,490 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,440 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sociology & anthropology graduates is $15,180. Early-career sociology & anthropology graduates make about $34,139. That is a strong return on a $15,180 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Swarthmore College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value sociology & anthropology schools. Set in the suburb of Swarthmore, Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,494. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the sociology & anthropology program here. Sociology & Anthropology graduates of Swarthmore College earn a median of $66,971 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Pace University New York came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value sociology & anthropology schools. Located in the city of New York, Pace University New York is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,510. Sociology & Anthropology graduates carry a median of $25,670 in student loans. Sociology & Anthropology graduates of Pace University New York earn a median of $59,662 early in their careers. Set against $25,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Lafayette College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value sociology & anthropology schools. Located in the suburb of Easton, Lafayette College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $64,648 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,549 to complete the sociology & anthropology program here. Sociology & Anthropology graduates of Lafayette College earn a median of $43,321 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lafayette College admits about 31% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 3 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.