Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Social Sciences

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

32 Ranked Colleges
6,920 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 205,726 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across Massachusetts, there were 8,759 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,277 and $24,571 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 6,920 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 32 colleges that offer a degree in social sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the social sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The social sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts

#1

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Williams College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Williams College is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 207 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Williams not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $2,498 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Williams College

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Harvard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 558 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Harvard has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard is $2,973 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard Social Sciences Report

#3

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #3 spot on the list. Amherst is a private not-for-profit institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 131 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Amherst also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Amherst is $6,079 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Amherst Social Sciences Report

#4

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tufts University landed the #4 spot on the list. Tufts University is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 475 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tufts has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts University is $5,267 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Tufts

#5

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Wellesley College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 168 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Wellesley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley is $8,785 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wellesley

#6

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
#5 in overall quality

Boston College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 533 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston College also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston College is $6,353 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Boston College

#7

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#8 in overall quality

Northeastern University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 401 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #8 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $10,239 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Northeastern

#8

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#15 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Smith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 133 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $6,075 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Smith College Social Sciences Report

#9

College of the Holy Cross

Worcester, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

College of the Holy Cross landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. College of the Holy Cross is a private not-for-profit institution located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 265 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Holy Cross also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $15,036 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Holy Cross.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Holy Cross Social Sciences Report

#10

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Boston University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 741 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Boston U has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $12,903 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Boston U Social Sciences Report

#11

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Brandeis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Brandeis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Waltham, Massachusetts. It awarded 285 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $13,567 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Brandeis University

#12

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school handed out 681 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend UMass Amherst is $13,137 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UMass Amherst

#13

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mount Holyoke College is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 145 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Mt. Holyoke also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $12,063 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mt. Holyoke.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Social Sciences at Mt. Holyoke

#14

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams, Massachusetts
#23 in overall quality

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. MCLA is a small public school situated in North Adams, Massachusetts. It awarded 34 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

MCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,587 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Social Sciences at MCLA

#15

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
#24 in overall quality

Westfield State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Westfield is located in Westfield, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 68 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Westfield did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,672 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Westfield State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Westfield

#16

University of Massachusetts - Lowell

Lowell, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #16, University of Massachusetts - Lowell did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMass Lowell is located in Lowell, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 94 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Lowell is $11,560 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at UMass Lowell

#17

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Worcester State is $16,011 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Worcester State University Social Sciences Report

#18

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Fitchburg State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. This medium-sized school is located in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fitchburg State University is $11,770 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Fitchburg State

#19

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Bridgewater State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bridgewater State is a fairly large school located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts that handed out 149 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bridgewater State University is $13,332 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Bridgewater State

#20

Framingham State University

Framingham, Massachusetts

Framingham State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Framingham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Framingham State University is $14,612 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Framingham State University

#21

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, this medium-sized public school handed out 149 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMass Dartmouth has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Dartmouth is $13,925 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth Social Sciences Report

#22

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 306 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,859 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston.

Read more about Social Sciences at UMass Boston

#23

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 107 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Massachusetts, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Massachusetts is $20,511 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#24

Salem State University

Salem, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #24, Salem State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Salem State University is a medium-sized school located in Salem, Massachusetts that handed out 63 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,593 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Salem State.

Full Salem State Social Sciences Report

#25

Clark University

Worcester, Massachusetts
#22 in overall quality

Clark University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Clark University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Worcester, Massachusetts. It awarded 143 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Clark also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend Clark University is $22,734 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Clark

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

Featured Social Science Schools

Find Schools Near You