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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

64 Ranked Colleges
5,841 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

With 205,726 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social sciences is the 5th most popular major in the United States. 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 Pennsylvania, there were 6,853 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,098 and $25,424 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,841 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 64 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the social sciences program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 64 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 513 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UPenn, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $4,833 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full UPenn Social Sciences Report

#2

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Swarthmore College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Swarthmore College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Swarthmore also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Swarthmore is $8,701 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 Swarthmore College

#3

Haverford College

Haverford, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Haverford College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. Haverford College is a small school located in Haverford, Pennsylvania that handed out 99 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Haverford has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Haverford is $6,498 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Haverford College

#4

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lafayette College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lafayette is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Easton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 286 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Lafayette did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lafayette College is $11,360 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 more about Social Sciences at Lafayette College

#5

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 64 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Carnegie Mellon University landed the #5 spot on the list. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 71 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $13,782 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Carnegie Mellon University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University

#6

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Bryn Mawr College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Bryn Mawr has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bryn Mawr College is $9,007 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Bryn Mawr

#7

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

Dickinson College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 161 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dickinson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $12,662 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dickinson.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 Dickinson College

#8

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Gettysburg College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 190 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gettysburg, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gettysburg is $14,029 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Gettysburg Social Sciences Report

#9

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
#6 in overall quality

Lehigh University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lehigh is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It awarded 92 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lehigh, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lehigh is $13,363 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Full Lehigh University Social Sciences Report

#10

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Franklin and Marshall College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Franklin and Marshall is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 147 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Franklin and Marshall, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Franklin and Marshall is $12,000 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Franklin and Marshall

#11

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

Johnstown, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is a public institution located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is $16,998 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Pitt Johnstown

#12

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #12, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Mansfield University is a public institution located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is $16,252 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

#13

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Pittsburgh - Greensburg is $14,602 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Pitt Greensburg

#14

Lycoming College

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #14, Lycoming College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lycoming is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,089 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lycoming.

Read more about Social Sciences at Lycoming

#15

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#25 in overall quality

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 106 students in 2019-2020.

SRU also took the #25 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SRU is $15,470 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Social Sciences Report

#16

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

Bradford, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Bradford landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pitt Bradford is located in Bradford, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,476 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Bradford.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Pittsburgh - Bradford

#17

Albright College

Reading, Pennsylvania

Albright College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Albright College is located in Reading, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,867 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Albright College.

Read more about Social Sciences at Albright

#18

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Cheyney, Pennsylvania

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a small school located in Cheyney, Pennsylvania that handed out 14 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is $8,609 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

#19

Saint Vincent College

Latrobe, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

Saint Vincent College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 44 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Saint Vincent also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Vincent College is $14,915 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Saint Vincent

#13 in overall quality

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is a large public school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 568 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Pitt is $21,011 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Pitt

#21

Westminster College Pennsylvania

New Wilmington, Pennsylvania

Westminster College Pennsylvania landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Westminster New Wilmington is $17,505 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Westminster New Wilmington

#22

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania

West Chester University of Pennsylvania came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. West Chester, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 77 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,966 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WCUPA.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 full report on Social Sciences at WCUPA

#23

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #23, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is $13,986 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

#24

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,837 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Elizabethtown College.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Elizabethtown College Social Sciences Report

#25

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Susquehanna is $19,548 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Susquehanna

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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.

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