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2022 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences in Massachusetts (With Aid)

33 Ranked Colleges
8,759 Degrees Awarded
$22,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Social Sciences is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 205,726 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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 Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 33 colleges that offer a degree 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Sciences in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $15,386 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

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%. 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.

Full Harvard Social Sciences Report

#2

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 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 $18,524 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid per year to attend Amherst College.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Amherst College

#3

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Williams College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Williams is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 234 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Williams also took the #2 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $19,480 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

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%. 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 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Williams

#4

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Wellesley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 168 ’s degrees 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 estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $22,087 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wellesley College

#5

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is a small public school situated in North Adams, Massachusetts. It awarded 34 ’s social sciences 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. The estimated yearly cost for MCLA is $16,861 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

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.

Full MCLA Social Sciences Report

#6

Roxbury Community College

Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #6, Roxbury Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts, and it awarded 10 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,489 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid per year to attend Roxbury Community College.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Roxbury Community College

#7

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Worcester State is a medium-sized school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 87 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,492 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid per year to attend Worcester State.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Worcester State

#8

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fitchburg State University is $16,001 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

Full Fitchburg State University Social Sciences Report

#9

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #9, Westfield State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 68 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Westfield not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Westfield is $19,167 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

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%.

Full Westfield State University Social Sciences Report

#10

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. UMass Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 810 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $22,501 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UMass Amherst Social Sciences Report

#11

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bridgewater State is located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 149 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Bridgewater State is $18,457 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

Read more about Social Sciences at Bridgewater State University

#12

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. University of Massachusetts - 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 $18,340 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

Read more about Social Sciences at UMass Boston

#13

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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Lowell, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 138 students in 2019-2020.

UMass Lowell also took the #24 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $19,119 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid 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%.

Full UMass Lowell Social Sciences Report

#14

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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. 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.

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. The yearly cost to attend UMass Dartmouth is $18,503 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

Read more about Social Sciences at UMass Dartmouth

#15

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, this small public school awarded 132 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State is $20,001 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Framingham State

#16

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 604 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $35,899 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Boston College.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Boston College

#17

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Salem, Massachusetts, and it awarded 74 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Salem State is $18,399 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

Full Salem State University Social Sciences Report

#18

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Tufts University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 777 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $30,744 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Tufts University Social Sciences Report

#19

Lasell University

Newton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #19, Lasell University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Lasell is a small school located in Newton, Massachusetts that handed out 78 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Lasell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $27,428 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Lasell University.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Lasell University

#20

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #20, College of the Holy Cross did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 265 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences 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 estimated yearly cost for Holy Cross is $37,292 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

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. 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 full report on Social Sciences at Holy Cross

#21

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,092 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Boston U also made our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $30,259 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid per year to attend Boston U.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Boston U

#22

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 107 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#23

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Smith College is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 133 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our massachusetts social sciences students with aid list, Smith has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $28,305 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid 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 College

#24

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Mt. Holyoke 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.

In addition to being on our massachusetts social sciences students with aid list, Mt. Holyoke has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $27,149 for massachusetts social sciences students with aid per year to attend Mt. Holyoke.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Mt. Holyoke Social Sciences Report

#25

Gordon College

Wenham, Massachusetts

Gordon College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Gordon College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wenham, Massachusetts. It awarded 58 ’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Gordon College is $25,777 for Massachusetts Social Sciences students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Gordon College Social Sciences Report

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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