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2022 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

33 Ranked Colleges
8,759 Degrees Awarded
$11,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 205,726 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 8,759 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,277 and $24,571 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 33 colleges that offer a degree in social sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 234 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Williams also took the #2 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $2,498 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams College.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams Social Sciences Report

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 901 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $2,973 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Harvard University

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 131 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Amherst also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Amherst is $6,079 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Amherst College

#4

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Tufts University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 777 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $5,267 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tufts University.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Tufts

#5

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wellesley College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It awarded 168 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Wellesley College Social Sciences Report

#6

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #6, Boston College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 604 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $6,353 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Boston College

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northeastern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 476 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #8 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern is $10,239 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 97%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northeastern University

#8

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Smith College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northampton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 133 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $6,075 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Smith College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Smith

#9

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 265 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Holy Cross, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend College of the Holy Cross is $15,036 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at College of the Holy Cross

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 1,092 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,903 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Social Sciences at Boston U

#11

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 466 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $13,567 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Full Brandeis Social Sciences Report

#12

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school handed out 810 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $13,137 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMass Amherst Social Sciences Report

#13

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mount Holyoke College is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 145 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,063 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mt. Holyoke.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Social Sciences at Mount Holyoke College

#14

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #14, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Adams, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

MCLA also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $12,587 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MCLA.

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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

#15

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Massachusetts - Lowell is a fairly large school located in Lowell, Massachusetts that handed out 138 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMass Lowell has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $11,560 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#16

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school awarded 68 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Westfield also took the #25 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $12,672 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Westfield State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Westfield State University

#17

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Worcester, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 87 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Worcester State University is $16,011 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Worcester State

#18

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Fitchburg State is a medium-sized school located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts that handed out 33 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Fitchburg State University is $11,770 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Fitchburg State

#19

Roxbury Community College

Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts

Roxbury Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts, and it awarded 10 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Roxbury Community College is $11,333 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Roxbury Community College

#20

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and it awarded 149 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State University is $13,332 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Bridgewater State

#21

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Framingham State is a public institution located in Framingham, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 132 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State is $14,612 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Framingham State University

#22

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. North Dartmouth, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 149 students in 2019-2020.

UMass Dartmouth also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $13,925 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth.

Read more about Social Sciences at UMass Dartmouth

#23

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 350 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts - Boston is $13,859 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UMass Boston

#24

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Salem State is located in Salem, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 74 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Salem State is $14,593 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Salem State University

#25

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Norton, Massachusetts, and it awarded 107 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Massachusetts, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $20,511 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wheaton College Massachusetts

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.

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