2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts

[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/social-sciences-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 15 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general social sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Massachusetts Bay Community College, our #1 best value for general social sciences in Massachusetts. Set in the suburb of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts Bay Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,856 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,800. Students borrow a median of $11,008 to complete the general social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Massachusetts Bay Community College generally make around $44,553. Set against $11,008 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Harvard University one of the best values for general social sciences. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,676. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $19,937 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $56,540. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Harvard University admits about 4% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Roxbury Community College, which ranked #3. Roxbury Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Roxbury Crossing. Students from in state pay about $5,785 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,088. Students borrow a median of $11,665 to complete the general social sciences program here. General Social Sciences graduates of Roxbury Community College earn a median of $37,941 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,665 median debt.
Massasoit Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #4 spot this year. Massasoit Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Brockton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,376, with out-of-state students paying around $10,320. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $8,825 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $42,938. Set against $8,825 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Massachusetts Boston is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Boston, University Of Massachusetts Boston is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,898, compared with $38,115 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $26,236. General Social Sciences graduates of University Of Massachusetts Boston earn a median of $52,885 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Massachusetts Boston admits about 84% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.