2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Washington
[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general social sciences students.
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2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #1 spot for value among general social sciences schools in Washington. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,973 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $20,559 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $57,538. Set against $20,559 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Washington State University, which ranked #2. Washington State University is a very large public school located in the town of Pullman. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,391, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Students borrow a median of $25,409 to complete the general social sciences program here. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $43,069. That is a strong return on a $25,409 median debt. Washington State University admits about 87% of applicants.
Central Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #3 spot this year. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. In-state tuition and fees average $9,417, while out-of-state students pay about $27,526. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $26,181 in student loans. General Social Sciences graduates of Central Washington University earn a median of $42,332 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,181 median debt. Central Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
More General Social Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
