2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k)
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 1,072 people earned their degree in science, technology and society, making the major the 396th most popular in the United States.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 853 science, technology and society graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in science, technology and society. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality science, technology and society programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the science, technology and society program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
More Ways to Rank Science, Technology & Society Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 44 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $-1,387 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford University. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Stanford University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgetown University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to 76 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgetown, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,248 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Georgetown University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full Georgetown University Science, Technology & Society Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brown University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Brown is $201 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
MIT also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $4,535 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science, Technology & Society Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colby College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Colby College is a small school located in Waterville, Maine that handed out 4 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
Colby did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Colby College is $2,335 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Vanderbilt University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nashville, Tennessee. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $3,156 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Vanderbilt
Cornell University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 6 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
Cornell also took the #9 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $7,484 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #8, Farmingdale State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Farmingdale State College is located in Farmingdale, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 268 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to qualified students.
SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is $3,469 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Farmingdale State College
North Carolina State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
NC State also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $7,285 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Carolina State University.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Full North Carolina State University Science, Technology & Society Report
Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. This large school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
Texas Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech University is $12,317 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
With a ranking of #11, Tufts University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to qualified students.
Tufts also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $5,267 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Tufts University
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
Georgia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $9,162 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Georgia Tech
Vassar College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vassar is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Poughkeepsie, New York. It awarded 20 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
Vassar also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $8,186 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vassar.
The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
University of California - Davis ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $9,842 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Davis.
The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at University of California - Davis
Michigan State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,686 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Michigan State
Carnegie Mellon University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University is $12,542 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Carnegie Mellon University
Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large public school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 19 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
ASU - Tempe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $7,044 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Science, Technology & Society at ASU - Tempe
James Madison University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, this large public school awarded 96 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
JMU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend JMU is $14,196 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Science, Technology & Society at James Madison University
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #21 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,596 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Science, Technology & Society Report
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. RPI is a private not-for-profit institution located in Troy, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
RPI also took the #5 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $22,662 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
With a ranking of #21, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Oklahoma also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $16,675 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Science, Technology & Society Report
University of Washington - Bothell Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bothell, Washington is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.
UW Bothell also took the #23 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,922 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW Bothell.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at University of Washington - Bothell Campus
University of Puget Sound landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Tacoma, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.
Puget Sound also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for University of Puget Sound is $26,828 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Puget Sound Science, Technology & Society Report
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor's Degree Schools
Science, Technology & Society students
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society
Science, Technology & Society students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Science, Technology & Society Schools
Science, Technology & Society students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $0-$30k)
Science, Technology & Society students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $48-$75k)
Science, Technology & Society students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income Over $110k)
Science, Technology & Society students with family income exceeding $110k
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Science, Technology & Society Graduates
Science, Technology & Society students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society
Science, Technology & Society students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (With Aid)
Science, Technology & Society students getting aid
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $30-$48k)
Science, Technology & Society students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $75-$110k)
Science, Technology & Society students with family income $75-$110k
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Featured History Schools
Request Info |
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |