by our College Data Analytics Team
[Humanities](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/humanities/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong humanities education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for humanities students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in humanities, balancing cost against outcomes.
Saint Peters College tops our 2027 list of the best value humanities schools in New Jersey. Set in the city of Jersey City, Saint Peters College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,552. Humanities graduates carry a median of $29,750 in student loans. Humanities graduates of Saint Peters College earn a median of $50,944 early in their careers. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in humanities, landing the #2 spot this year. Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Teaneck. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,010. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the humanities program here. Soon after graduation, humanities degree recipients from Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus generally make around $31,469. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in humanities will find it at Montclair State University, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,912, while out-of-state students pay about $26,022. Students borrow a median of $25,967 to complete the humanities program here. Humanities graduates of Montclair State University earn a median of $22,201 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,967 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in humanities will find it at Fairleigh Dickinson University College At Florham, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Madison, Fairleigh Dickinson University College At Florham is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,468. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the humanities program here. Early-career humanities graduates make about $31,469. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in humanities will find it at Seton Hall University, which ranked #5. Seton Hall University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of South Orange. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,170. Humanities graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, humanities degree recipients from Seton Hall University generally make around $36,993. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Seton Hall University admits about 73% of applicants.
This list is compiled 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
