2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Virginia

[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/social-sciences-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general social sciences education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for general social sciences students.
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2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
Virginia Western Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value general social sciences schools in Virginia. Set in the city of Roanoke, Virginia Western Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,400, compared with $11,838 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $9,128. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $19,220. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Richmond, J Sargeant Reynolds Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,280, compared with $11,718 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $12,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from J Sargeant Reynolds Community College generally make around $18,164. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southwest Virginia Community College earned it the #3 place for general social sciences. Southwest Virginia Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Cedar Bluff. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,075, compared with $11,513 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $5,500. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Southwest Virginia Community College generally make around $32,277. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Thomas Nelson Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Set in the suburb of Hampton, Thomas Nelson Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,088 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,526. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $10,500. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $25,478. That is a strong return on a $10,500 median debt.
The University Of Virginias College At Wise is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #5 spot this year. The University Of Virginias College At Wise is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Wise. Students from in state pay about $11,780 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,010. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $17,714 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $43,988. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 28%.
Northern Virginia Community College placed #6 among the best values for general social sciences. Northern Virginia Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Annandale. Students from in state pay about $5,891 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,410. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $10,500. General Social Sciences graduates of Northern Virginia Community College earn a median of $23,637 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,500 median debt.
Tidewater Community College earned the #7 position for value in general social sciences this year. Set in the city of Norfolk, Tidewater Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,858 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,296. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $11,000. General Social Sciences graduates of Tidewater Community College earn a median of $29,425 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
More General Social Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.