2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in North Carolina
[Human Services](/majors/social-services-public-administration/human-services/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value human services schools.
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2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the human services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Human Services Schools
Leading the list is Wilkes Community College, our #1 best value for human services in North Carolina. Set in the town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,572, compared with $8,716 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $9,125. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Wilkes Community College generally make around $36,341. Set against $9,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in human services will find it at Stanly Community College, which ranked #2. Stanly Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Albemarle. Students from in state pay about $2,672 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,816. Early-career human services graduates make about $41,920.
Students looking for strong value in human services will find it at Pitt Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Winterville, Pitt Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,871, with out-of-state students paying around $13,087. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $19,741. Early-career human services graduates make about $43,022. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mount Olive College earned it the #4 place for human services. Mount Olive College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Mount Olive. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,366. Students borrow a median of $30,798 to complete the human services program here. Early-career human services graduates make about $45,131. That is a strong return on a $30,798 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Davidson County Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Set in the rural area of Thomasville, Davidson County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,980, while out-of-state students pay about $6,588. Human Services graduates carry a median of $16,693 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Davidson County Community College generally make around $35,625. Set against $16,693 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Wingate University came in at #6 for value in human services this year. Located in the suburb of Wingate, Wingate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,576. Human Services graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career human services graduates make about $32,843. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Lees Mcrae College placed #7 among the best values for human services. Lees Mcrae College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Banner Elk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,850. Human Services graduates carry a median of $15,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Lees Mcrae College generally make around $34,811. That is a strong return on a $15,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Elon University came in at #8 for value in human services this year. Located in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,958. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $21,619. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Elon University generally make around $50,463. Set against $21,619 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Elon University admits about 66% of applicants.
More Human Services Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
