2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Arkansas

[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value social studies education schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Arkansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social studies education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Studies Education Schools
Arkansas Tech University earned the #1 spot for value among social studies education schools in Arkansas. Located in the town of Russellville, Arkansas Tech University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,674, while out-of-state students pay about $14,668. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $24,000. Social Studies Education graduates of Arkansas Tech University earn a median of $41,160 early in their careers. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Central Arkansas earned it the #2 place for social studies education. Set in the city of Conway, University Of Central Arkansas is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,523 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,023 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the social studies education program here. Social Studies Education graduates of University Of Central Arkansas earn a median of $41,562 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Harding University earned it the #3 place for social studies education. Located in the town of Searcy, Harding University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,962. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $40,489. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
More Social Studies Education Rankings
View All Social Studies Education Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 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.