by our College Data Analytics Team
[Mental & Social Health Services](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value mental & social health services schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the mental & social health services degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in mental & social health services, no school beat Sinte Gleska University this year. Sinte Gleska University is a small public school located in the rural area of Mission. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,714. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $20,948.
Students looking for strong value in mental & social health services will find it at Northern State University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Aberdeen, Northern State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,845, compared with $11,947 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mental & social health services graduates is $26,143. Early-career mental & social health services graduates make about $45,824. That is a strong return on a $26,143 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value mental & social health services schools. Set in the town of Watertown, Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,718. Students borrow a median of $13,674 to complete the mental & social health services program here. Mental & Social Health Services graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of $43,424 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,674 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Dakota earned it the #4 place for mental & social health services. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,432, while out-of-state students pay about $12,942. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the mental & social health services program here. Soon after graduation, mental & social health services degree recipients from University Of South Dakota generally make around $44,527. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.