2027 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Massachusetts
[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for social studies education students.
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2027 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Massachusetts
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social studies education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Studies Education Schools
For return on investment in social studies education, no school beat Worcester State University this year. Worcester State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Worcester. In-state tuition and fees average $11,786, compared with $17,866 for out-of-state students. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $24,451 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $45,297. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in social studies education will find it at Boston University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $25,125 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $67,277. That is a strong return on a $25,125 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Lesley University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value social studies education schools. Set in the city of Cambridge, Lesley University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,256. Students borrow a median of $24,818 to complete the social studies education program here. Social Studies Education graduates of Lesley University earn a median of $48,287 early in their careers. Set against $24,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 97%.
Merrimack College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social studies education, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of North Andover, Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,962. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $26,913 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $50,506. That is a strong return on a $26,913 median debt. Merrimack College admits about 70% of applicants.
More Social Studies Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
