2026 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Rhode Island
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Rhode Island College, our #1 best value for social sciences in Rhode Island. Set in the suburb of Providence, Rhode Island College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,300, compared with $27,299 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,304 to complete the social sciences program here. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $30,508. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Rhode Island came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value social sciences schools. University Of Rhode Island is a very large public school located in the suburb of Kingston. Students from in state pay about $16,942 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $37,146. Students borrow a median of $22,397 to complete the social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from University Of Rhode Island generally make around $39,037. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Rhode Island admits about 72% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Brown University earned it the #3 place for social sciences. Brown University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $71,312. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $13,409. Social Sciences graduates of Brown University earn a median of $67,026 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Brown University admits about 5% of applicants.
Salve Regina University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social sciences, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Newport, Salve Regina University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $50,100 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $27,000. Social Sciences graduates of Salve Regina University earn a median of $56,636 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Salve Regina University admits about 68% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Roger Williams University one of the best values for social sciences. Located in the suburb of Bristol, Roger Williams University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,197. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the social sciences program here. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $37,327. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roger Williams University admits about 88% of applicants.
Bryant University placed #6 among the best values for social sciences. Bryant University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Smithfield. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,677. Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Social Sciences graduates of Bryant University earn a median of $48,403 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Bryant University admits about 66% of applicants.
Providence College earned the #7 position for value in social sciences this year. Providence College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $63,550. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $26,532. Social Sciences graduates of Providence College earn a median of $56,142 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 51% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
