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2022 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

33 Ranked Colleges
8,759 Degrees Awarded
$12,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

With 205,726 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social sciences is the 5th most popular major in the United States. 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.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 33 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social sciences programs that also have a lower cost than 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 901 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Harvard has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $1,010 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Harvard

#2

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #2 spot on the list. Williams is a small school located in Williamstown, Massachusetts that handed out 234 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Williams not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,223 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Williams College

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #3 spot on the list. Amherst is a small school located in Amherst, Massachusetts that handed out 131 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Amherst also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $4,423 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Amherst.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Amherst College

#4

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Boston College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It awarded 604 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $8,951 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Boston College.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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

#5

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tufts University landed the #5 spot on the list. Tufts University is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 777 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Tufts also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $6,516 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Tufts University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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. 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 more about Social Sciences at Tufts University

#6

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 168 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Wellesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley College is $4,519 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wellesley

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Northeastern University is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 476 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Northeastern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern is $12,823 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northeastern University

#8

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Smith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 133 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Smith, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $10,169 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Smith College

#9

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 1,092 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boston U has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $13,256 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Boston U

#10

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Mount Holyoke College is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 145 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke also took the #12 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $17,192 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Mt. Holyoke.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Mt. Holyoke

#11

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school awarded 810 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Amherst is $14,474 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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 UMass Amherst

#12

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 265 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $19,031 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Holy Cross.

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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Holy Cross

#13

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a public institution located in North Adams, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $13,325 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MCLA.

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.

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

#14

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Lowell, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 138 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also took the #24 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $12,330 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMass Lowell.

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 more about Social Sciences at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

#15

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Westfield is a public institution located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 68 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Westfield also took the #25 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $14,071 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Westfield State University

#16

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #16, Fitchburg State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and it awarded 33 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,208 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fitchburg State University.

Full Fitchburg State Social Sciences Report

#17

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 466 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandeis, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis University is $16,074 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 90%.

Full Brandeis Social Sciences Report

#18

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Worcester State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 87 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Worcester State is $16,781 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Worcester State University Social Sciences Report

#19

Roxbury Community College

Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts

Roxbury Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts, and it awarded 10 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,657 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Roxbury Community College.

Read more about Social Sciences at Roxbury Community College

#20

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k 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 yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $15,055 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Social Sciences Report

#21

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small school located in Norton, Massachusetts that handed out 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. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $22,008 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#22

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. UMass Dartmouth is a public institution located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 149 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Dartmouth, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $15,219 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMass Dartmouth.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

#23

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bridgewater, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 149 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater State is $14,707 for massachusetts social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Bridgewater State University

#24

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Framingham State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, this small public school handed out 132 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State is $16,490 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Framingham State

#25

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Clark University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Clark University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 216 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Clark also took the #19 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clark is $20,581 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Clark

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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