[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 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for family & community services students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the family & community services degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of Northern Iowa earned the #1 spot for value among family & community services schools in the The Plains States Region. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Typical student debt for family & community services graduates is $23,000. Family & Community Services graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $32,614 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in family & community services, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Family & Community Services graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career family & community services graduates make about $32,769. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in family & community services will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #3. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Family & Community Services graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, family & community services degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $42,654. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Iowa State University one of the best values for family & community services. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for family & community services graduates is $24,958. Early-career family & community services graduates make about $53,900. Set against $24,958 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota State University earned it the #5 place for family & community services. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for family & community services graduates is $24,500. Early-career family & community services graduates make about $37,123. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
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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 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.
