2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Georgia
[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for social studies education students.
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2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Georgia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social studies education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Studies Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Columbus State University the best value for a degree in social studies education in Georgia. Columbus State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Columbus. Students from in state pay about $5,898 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $17,610. Students borrow a median of $28,040 to complete the social studies education program here. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Columbus State University generally make around $51,154. Set against $28,040 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Georgia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social studies education, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $20,750 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $61,081. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Georgia State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value social studies education schools. Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,664, with out-of-state students paying around $24,840. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $28,687. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $57,563. Set against $28,687 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Mercer University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value social studies education schools. Located in the city of Macon, Mercer University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $31,565. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $32,463 in student loans. Social Studies Education graduates of Mercer University earn a median of $56,699 early in their careers. Set against $32,463 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
More Social Studies Education Rankings
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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 · 4 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.
