2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in Washington
[Human Services](/majors/social-services-public-administration/human-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for human services students.
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2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in human services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Human Services Schools
For return on investment in human services, no school beat Tacoma Community College this year. Located in the city of Tacoma, Tacoma Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,507, with out-of-state students paying around $11,646. Students borrow a median of $17,367 to complete the human services program here. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Tacoma Community College generally make around $41,008. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Northwest Indian College one of the best values for human services. Northwest Indian College is a small public school located in the suburb of Bellingham. In-state tuition and fees average $4,365. Human Services graduates of Northwest Indian College earn a median of $25,182 early in their careers.
Central Washington University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human services, landing the #3 spot this year. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. In-state tuition and fees average $9,417, compared with $27,526 for out-of-state students. Human Services graduates carry a median of $19,893 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $36,644. Set against $19,893 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Western Washington University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Western Washington University is a large public school located in the city of Bellingham. Students from in state pay about $9,582 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Human Services graduates carry a median of $20,041 in student loans. Early-career human services graduates make about $39,487. Set against $20,041 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Washington University admits about 93% of applicants.
More Human Services Rankings
View All Human Services Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
