2026 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Texas
[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 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 Texas
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 Hardin Simmons University the best value for a degree in social studies education in Texas. Set in the city of Abilene, Hardin Simmons University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $32,960. Students borrow a median of $27,709 to complete the social studies education program here. Social Studies Education graduates of Hardin Simmons University earn a median of $48,334 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,709 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas Lutheran University earned it the #2 place for social studies education. Texas Lutheran University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Seguin. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,230. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Texas Lutheran University generally make around $52,270. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Abilene Christian University one of the best values for social studies education. Located in the city of Abilene, Abilene Christian University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $44,200. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $51,360. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Abilene Christian University admits about 66% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in social studies education will find it at University Of Mary Hardin Baylor, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Belton, University Of Mary Hardin Baylor is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,300. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from University Of Mary Hardin Baylor generally make around $52,133. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of Mary Hardin Baylor admits about 96% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas Christian University earned it the #5 place for social studies education. Set in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,740. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. Social Studies Education graduates of Texas Christian University earn a median of $57,665 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 44%.
Baylor University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value social studies education schools. Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waco. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $58,100. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Baylor University generally make around $53,201. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 51%.
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. 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
