2027 Best Value Rural Sociology Schools
[Rural Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/rural-sociology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value rural sociology schools.
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Finding the Best Value Rural Sociology School for You
Where you study rural sociology affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value Rural Sociology Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Read more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Rural Sociology Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
See how we build our rankings
2027 Best Value Rural Sociology Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in rural sociology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Rural Sociology Schools
Leading the list is University Of Wisconsin Madison, our #1 best value for rural sociology in the United States. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for rural sociology graduates is $17,802. Soon after graduation, rural sociology degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $35,889. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 45%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College earned it the #2 place for rural sociology. Set in the town of Tifton, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,268, compared with $10,588 for out-of-state students. Rural Sociology graduates carry a median of $22,368 in student loans. Rural Sociology graduates of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College earn a median of $46,038 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College admits about 76% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in rural sociology will find it at University Of Nebraska Lincoln, which ranked #3. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,434, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Students borrow a median of $19,400 to complete the rural sociology program here. Early-career rural sociology graduates make about $49,755. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Nebraska Lincoln admits about 88% of applicants.
Oregon State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value rural sociology schools. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,400, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Typical student debt for rural sociology graduates is $21,882. Rural Sociology graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $39,193 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
Auburn University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value rural sociology schools. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,890, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for rural sociology graduates is $22,250. Rural Sociology graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $55,422 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University came in at #6 for value in rural sociology this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Students borrow a median of $11,900 to complete the rural sociology program here. Early-career rural sociology graduates make about $36,709. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Rural Sociology. Browse the parent area of study.
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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
