2026 Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Associate’s Degree Schools
[General Family & Consumer Sciences](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/general-family-consumer-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general family & consumer sciences education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 116 schools to find the best return on investment for general family & consumer sciences students.
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2026 Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general family & consumer sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked Shasta College the best value for a degree in general family & consumer sciences in the United States. Located in the suburb of Redding, Shasta College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,197, compared with $8,853 for out-of-state students. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates carry a median of $12,275 in student loans. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates of Shasta College earn a median of $50,330 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general family & consumer sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Perkinston, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,250 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general family & consumer sciences graduates is $11,653. Early-career general family & consumer sciences graduates make about $34,214. That is a strong return on a $11,653 median debt.
Lone Star College System came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general family & consumer sciences schools. Lone Star College System is a very large public school located in the city of The Woodlands. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,664, with out-of-state students paying around $7,512. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates carry a median of $10,425 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general family & consumer sciences degree recipients from Lone Star College System generally make around $39,954. That is a strong return on a $10,425 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arizona Western College earned it the #4 place for general family & consumer sciences. Located in the city of Yuma, Arizona Western College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,060, while out-of-state students pay about $9,870. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates of Arizona Western College earn a median of $44,895 early in their careers.
Other General Family & Consumer Sciences Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value General Family & Consumer Sciences rankings across degree levels:
View All General Family & Consumer Sciences Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 116 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
