2027 Best Value Sociology Schools in Michigan
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for sociology students.
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2027 Best Value Sociology Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sociology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sociology Schools
Our analysis ranked Oakland University the best value for a degree in sociology in Michigan. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,167, compared with $24,735 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the sociology program here. Early-career sociology graduates make about $20,126. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the best values for sociology. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $18,568. Early-career sociology graduates make about $33,832. Set against $18,568 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
Wayne State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value sociology schools. Wayne State University is a very large public school located in the city of Detroit. Students from in state pay about $16,159 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $30,422 to complete the sociology program here. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $31,381. That is a strong return on a $30,422 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Western Michigan University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value sociology schools. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $25,585. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $35,399. That is a strong return on a $25,585 median debt. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grand Valley State University earned it the #5 place for sociology. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, while out-of-state students pay about $21,894. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $26,000. Sociology graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median of $32,132 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Eastern Michigan University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value sociology schools. Eastern Michigan University is a large public school located in the suburb of Ypsilanti. In-state tuition and fees average $16,990. Sociology graduates carry a median of $35,155 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $29,919. Set against $35,155 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Michigan State University came in at #7 for value in sociology this year. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $26,985. Early-career sociology graduates make about $35,055. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Hope College came in at #8 for value in sociology this year. Located in the city of Holland, Hope College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,484. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $24,488. Sociology graduates of Hope College earn a median of $29,181 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
