2026 Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools in the New England Region
[General Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/human-development-and-family-studies-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general human development & family studies students.
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2026 Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools in the New England Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general human development & family studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Human Development & Family Studies Schools
University Of Rhode Island tops our 2026 list of the best value general human development & family studies schools in the New England Region. Set in the suburb of Kingston, University Of Rhode Island is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,942, compared with $37,146 for out-of-state students. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates of University Of Rhode Island earn a median of $41,062 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Rhode Island admits about 72% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maine earned it the #2 place for general human development & family studies. Set in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,326, with out-of-state students paying around $36,756. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates of University Of Maine earn a median of $30,983 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Vermont one of the best values for general human development & family studies. Located in the city of Burlington, University Of Vermont is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,058, while out-of-state students pay about $45,502. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $19,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general human development & family studies degree recipients from University Of Vermont generally make around $25,249. Set against $19,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Vermont admits about 65% of applicants.
University Of Connecticut came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general human development & family studies schools. Set in the town of Storrs, University Of Connecticut is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,044, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,059 to complete the general human development & family studies program here. General Human Development & Family Studies graduates of University Of Connecticut earn a median of $31,642 early in their careers. Set against $23,059 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Connecticut admits about 52% of applicants.
University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general human development & family studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $19,202, with out-of-state students paying around $39,852. Typical student debt for general human development & family studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general human development & family studies degree recipients from University Of New Hampshire Main Campus generally make around $32,146. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of New Hampshire Main Campus admits about 88% of applicants.
Merrimack College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general human development & family studies schools. Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of North Andover. Students from in state pay about $53,962 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general human development & family studies program here. Early-career general human development & family studies graduates make about $33,640. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
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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.
