[Family & Community Services](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/family-and-community-services/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong family & community services education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for family & community services students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in family & community services, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in family & community services, no school beat University Of Northern Iowa this year. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the family & community services program here. Family & Community Services graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $32,614 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri State University Springfield earned it the #2 place for family & community services. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Typical student debt for family & community services graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, family & community services degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $32,769. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #3 makes Kansas State University one of the best values for family & community services. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for family & community services graduates is $25,000. Family & Community Services graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,543 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #4 makes South Dakota State University one of the best values for family & community services. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,500 to complete the family & community services program here. Family & Community Services graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $51,260 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
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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.
