2026 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in New Hampshire

[Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value social sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in New Hampshire
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools
Keene State College earned the #1 spot for value among social sciences schools in New Hampshire. Keene State College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Keene. In-state tuition and fees average $14,784, with out-of-state students paying around $26,840. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the social sciences program here. Social Sciences graduates of Keene State College earn a median of $35,481 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Keene State College admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in social sciences will find it at Plymouth State University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Plymouth, Plymouth State University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,626, with out-of-state students paying around $25,566. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $26,972. Social Sciences graduates of Plymouth State University earn a median of $45,528 early in their careers. Set against $26,972 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of New Hampshire Main Campus earned it the #3 place for social sciences. Set in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $19,202 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $39,852. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $26,677. Social Sciences graduates of University Of New Hampshire Main Campus earn a median of $44,568 early in their careers. Set against $26,677 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in social sciences will find it at Dartmouth College, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Hanover, Dartmouth College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,019. Students borrow a median of $17,035 to complete the social sciences program here. Social Sciences graduates of Dartmouth College earn a median of $81,161 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,035 median debt. Dartmouth College admits about 5% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New England College earned it the #5 place for social sciences. New England College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Henniker. Students from in state pay about $27,474 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $35,038 to complete the social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from New England College generally make around $68,950. Set against $35,038 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Southern New Hampshire University landed the #6 spot for social sciences value this year. Located in the suburb of Manchester, Southern New Hampshire University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,200. Students borrow a median of $28,966 to complete the social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Southern New Hampshire University generally make around $48,945. That is a strong return on a $28,966 median debt. Southern New Hampshire University admits about 100% of applicants.
Saint Anselm College came in at #7 for value in social sciences this year. Set in the suburb of Manchester, Saint Anselm College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $48,920. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Saint Anselm College generally make around $41,591. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
More Social Sciences Rankings
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.