2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in the Far Western Region

[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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for social studies education students.
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2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in the Far Western Region
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
Our analysis ranked Eastern Washington University the best value for a degree in social studies education in the Far Western Region. Eastern Washington University is a large public school located in the town of Cheney. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, compared with $26,583 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,009 to complete the social studies education program here. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Eastern Washington University generally make around $41,914. Set against $23,009 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social studies education, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $16,481. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $71,315. That is a strong return on a $16,481 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Western Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social studies education, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $41,118. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Oregon State University one of the best values for social studies education. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $24,043. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Oregon State University generally make around $50,879. That is a strong return on a $24,043 median debt. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in social studies education will find it at Lewis And Clark College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Portland, Lewis And Clark College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,828. Students borrow a median of $23,301 to complete the social studies education program here. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $52,369. Set against $23,301 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 7 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.