Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $30-$48k)

23 Ranked Colleges
853 Degrees Awarded
$10,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 $30-$48k” 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the science, technology and society program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Science, Technology & Society Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Science, Technology & Society (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 1 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $1,820 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science, Technology & Society Report

#2

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,145 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Stanford University

#3

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#6 in overall quality

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 $30-$48k. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 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 estimated yearly cost for Brown is $6,684 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%. 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.

Full Brown Science, Technology & Society Report

#4

Colby College

Waterville, Maine
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Colby College landed the #4 spot on the list. Colby is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waterville, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Colby also took the #8 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colby is $3,467 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Colby College

#5

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgetown University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 76 degrees to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society 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. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $8,678 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Georgetown University

#6

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#12 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Vanderbilt University Science, Technology & Society Report

#7

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#9 in overall quality

Cornell University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $7,518 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell University.

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 freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Cornell University Science, Technology & Society Report

#8

Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale, New York
#17 in overall quality

Farmingdale State College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is a public institution located in Farmingdale, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 268 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

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 estimated yearly cost for SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is $5,539 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Farmingdale State College Science, Technology & Society Report

#9

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Tufts University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Medford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $6,516 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, 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%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Tufts

#10

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Carnegie Mellon University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon also took the #3 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon is $13,782 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Carnegie Mellon University

#11

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#11 in overall quality

North Carolina State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NC State is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 62 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $9,887 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at North Carolina State University

#12

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#10 in overall quality

Texas Tech University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas Tech is a large public school situated in Lubbock, Texas. It awarded 48 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech University is $13,326 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Texas Tech

#15 in overall quality

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students 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 yearly cost to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $11,454 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

#16 in overall quality

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $10,769 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at UC Davis

#15

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York
#13 in overall quality

Vassar College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Vassar College is located in Poughkeepsie, New York and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vassar, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vassar College is $6,080 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Vassar

#16

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia
#7 in overall quality

James Madison University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. JMU is a large public school situated in Harrisonburg, Virginia. It awarded 96 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

JMU also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $15,726 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend JMU.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 89%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at James Madison University

#18 in overall quality

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 $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s science, tech and society students in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $8,921 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full ASU - Tempe Science, Technology & Society Report

#5 in overall quality

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at RPI, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $24,361 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend RPI.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at RPI

#19

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan State has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $15,197 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at Michigan State

#21 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $9,630 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at Cal Poly Pomona

#19 in overall quality

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 $30-$48k list. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 1 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Oklahoma is $17,285 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Science, Technology & Society at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

#23 in overall quality

University of Washington - Bothell Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. UW Bothell is a medium-sized public school situated in Bothell, Washington. It awarded 8 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Bothell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $8,355 for Bachelor’s Degree Science, Tech & Society students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW Bothell.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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 89%.

Read more about Science, Technology & Society at University of Washington - Bothell Campus

#23

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington
#22 in overall quality

University of Puget Sound ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Science, Tech & Society Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Puget Sound is located in Tacoma, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s science, tech and society degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k list, Puget Sound has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Science, Technology & Society Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Puget Sound is $25,500 for bachelor’s degree science, tech & society students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Puget Sound Science, Technology & Society Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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

Find Schools Near You