2026 Best Value Gerontology Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[Gerontology](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/gerontology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 175 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for gerontology students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Gerontology Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the gerontology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Gerontology Schools
For return on investment in gerontology, no school beat California State University Sacramento this year. Located in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,018, with out-of-state students paying around $20,618. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the gerontology program here. Soon after graduation, gerontology degree recipients from California State University Sacramento generally make around $38,461. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Sacramento admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maryland University College one of the best values for gerontology. Located in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,136, compared with $12,336 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for gerontology graduates is $31,344. Early-career gerontology graduates make about $43,840. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Minnesota State University Moorhead came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value gerontology schools. Located in the suburb of Moorhead, Minnesota State University Moorhead is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,428. Students borrow a median of $24,447 to complete the gerontology program here. Early-career gerontology graduates make about $50,892. That is a strong return on a $24,447 median debt. The acceptance rate is 59%.
University Of Southern California came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value gerontology schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Typical student debt for gerontology graduates is $15,625. Gerontology graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $57,270 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. University Of Southern California admits about 10% of applicants.
Other Gerontology Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Gerontology rankings across degree levels:
View All Gerontology Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 175 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
