2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Massachusetts
[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong human development & family studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for human development & family studies students.
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2026 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the human development & family studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools
North Shore Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools in Massachusetts. North Shore Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Danvers. In-state tuition and fees average $5,352, compared with $10,920 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $9,622 in student loans. 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.
Holyoke Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Set in the rural area of Holyoke, Holyoke Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,988 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,932. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $9,763. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $43,423. That is a strong return on a $9,763 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Massasoit Community College one of the best values for human development & family studies. Located in the suburb of Brockton, Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,376 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,320 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $10,894 in student loans. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Massasoit Community College earn a median of $42,938 early in their careers. Set against $10,894 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mount Wachusett Community College earned it the #4 place for human development & family studies. Mount Wachusett Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Gardner. Students from in state pay about $6,160 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $11,080. Students borrow a median of $5,921 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Mount Wachusett Community College earn a median of $27,078 early in their careers. Set against $5,921 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Framingham State University one of the best values for human development & family studies. Framingham State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Framingham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,920, with out-of-state students paying around $18,000. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $25,872 in student loans. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Framingham State University earn a median of $49,006 early in their careers. Set against $25,872 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Framingham State University admits about 84% of applicants.
Tufts University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Set in the suburb of Medford, Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,704. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $16,170 in student loans. 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.
Merrimack College came in at #7 for value in human development & family studies this year. Located in the suburb of North Andover, Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,962. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $33,640. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Merrimack College admits about 70% of applicants.
More Human Development & Family Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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.
