2027 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Massachusetts

[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for human development & family studies students.
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2027 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Massachusetts
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
Northern Essex Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value human development & family studies schools in Massachusetts. Located in the suburb of Haverhill, Northern Essex Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,732 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,516. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $11,002. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $44,682. That is a strong return on a $11,002 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in human development & family studies will find it at Massachusetts Bay Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,856, compared with $10,800 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,008 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Massachusetts Bay Community College earn a median of $44,553 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mount Wachusett Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Mount Wachusett Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Gardner. Students from in state pay about $6,160 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,080 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,921 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Mount Wachusett Community College generally make around $27,078. That is a strong return on a $5,921 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in human development & family studies will find it at Holyoke Community College, which ranked #4. Holyoke Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Holyoke. In-state tuition and fees average $5,988, with out-of-state students paying around $10,932. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $9,763 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Holyoke Community College generally make around $43,423. Set against $9,763 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Massasoit Community College earned it the #5 place for human development & family studies. Set in the suburb of Brockton, Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,376, while out-of-state students pay about $10,320. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $10,894 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Massasoit Community College generally make around $42,938. Set against $10,894 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
North Shore Community College placed #6 among the best values for human development & family studies. Located in the suburb of Danvers, North Shore Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,352, while out-of-state students pay about $10,920. Students borrow a median of $9,622 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of North Shore Community College earn a median of $34,978 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Framingham State University landed the #7 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Framingham State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Framingham. In-state tuition and fees average $11,920, while out-of-state students pay about $18,000. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $25,872 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $49,006. Set against $25,872 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Boston University landed the #8 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,102. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $25,232. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $49,851. That is a strong return on a $25,232 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Merrimack College landed the #9 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of North Andover. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,962. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Merrimack College generally make around $33,640. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Tufts University landed the #10 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Set in the suburb of Medford, Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,704. Students borrow a median of $16,170 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $44,725. That is a strong return on a $16,170 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
More Human Development & Family Studies Rankings
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.