[Demography & Population Studies](/majors/social-sciences/demography-population-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 22 schools to find the best return on investment for demography & population studies students.
Finding the Best Value Demography & Population Studies School for You
The demography & population studies program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we built our Best Value Demography & Population Studies Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Demography & Population Studies Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
University Of California Irvine earned the #1 spot for value among demography & population studies schools in the United States. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,752 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $46,640. Students borrow a median of $16,539 to complete the demography & population studies program here. Soon after graduation, demography & population studies degree recipients from University Of California Irvine generally make around $50,958. That is a strong return on a $16,539 median debt. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in demography & population studies will find it at The University Of Texas At San Antonio, which ranked #2. Set in the city of San Antonio, The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,326, compared with $22,249 for out-of-state students. Demography & Population Studies graduates carry a median of $23,312 in student loans. Demography & Population Studies graduates of The University Of Texas At San Antonio earn a median of $49,955 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value demography & population studies schools. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,730. Typical student debt for demography & population studies graduates is $13,426. Soon after graduation, demography & population studies degree recipients from Johns Hopkins University generally make around $84,850. That is a strong return on a $13,426 median debt. Johns Hopkins University admits about 6% of applicants.
University Of San Francisco is a great value for students pursuing a degree in demography & population studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $60,522. Typical student debt for demography & population studies graduates is $23,935. Soon after graduation, demography & population studies degree recipients from University Of San Francisco generally make around $65,223. That is a strong return on a $23,935 median debt. University Of San Francisco admits about 62% of applicants.
Narrow Demography & Population Studies Schools by Region
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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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).
[Demography & Population Studies](/majors/social-sciences/demography-population-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
