2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Ohio
[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong human development & family studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 35 schools to find the best return on investment for human development & family studies students.
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2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Ohio
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in human development & family studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools
Leading the list is Sinclair Community College, our #1 best value for human development & family studies in Ohio. Sinclair Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Dayton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,675, while out-of-state students pay about $8,556. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $12,525. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Sinclair Community College generally make around $35,348. That is a strong return on a $12,525 median debt.
Columbus State Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Columbus State Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. In-state tuition and fees average $5,488, with out-of-state students paying around $11,224. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $9,041 in student loans. Graduates go on to earn a median of $39,435 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $9,041 median debt.
Eastern Gateway Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Steubenville, Eastern Gateway Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,225, while out-of-state students pay about $6,071. Students borrow a median of $10,642 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Eastern Gateway Community College generally make around $37,052. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Akron Main Campus earned it the #4 place for human development & family studies. Located in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,135, compared with $20,815 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from University Of Akron Main Campus generally make around $30,835. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $34,610. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Kent State University At Kent ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,220, compared with $21,575 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,913 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of $33,643 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,913 median debt. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
Ohio University Main Campus placed #7 among the best values for human development & family studies. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Students borrow a median of $19,343 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $30,748 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,343 median debt. Ohio University Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus landed the #8 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,912, compared with $21,900 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn a median of $32,175 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Franciscan University Of Steubenville came in at #9 for value in human development & family studies this year. Located in the city of Steubenville, Franciscan University Of Steubenville is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,100. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $25,029. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Franciscan University Of Steubenville earn a median of $43,020 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Franciscan University Of Steubenville admits about 58% of applicants.
More Human Development & Family Studies 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 · 35 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.
