2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in New Jersey
[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general social sciences education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general social sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in New Jersey
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked Essex County College the best value for a degree in general social sciences in New Jersey. Essex County College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Newark. In-state tuition and fees average $5,415, with out-of-state students paying around $9,523. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $5,851 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $22,053. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Brookdale Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Brookdale Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Lincroft. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,270, while out-of-state students pay about $10,140. Students borrow a median of $9,500 to complete the general social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Brookdale Community College generally make around $26,231. That is a strong return on a $9,500 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Montclair State University, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,912, while out-of-state students pay about $26,022. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,286 in student loans. General Social Sciences graduates of Montclair State University earn a median of $44,369 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Montclair State University admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ramapo College Of New Jersey earned it the #4 place for general social sciences. Located in the suburb of Mahwah, Ramapo College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,777, compared with $27,708 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $43,047. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
More General Social Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
