2026 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in Kentucky
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools
Berea College tops our 2026 list of the best value social sciences schools in Kentucky. Berea College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Berea. Students from in state pay about $51,658 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $5,801 to complete the social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Berea College generally make around $31,428. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Berea College admits about 19% of applicants.
Murray State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,900, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $48,423. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northern Kentucky University earned it the #3 place for social sciences. Northern Kentucky University is a large public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,088, with out-of-state students paying around $21,912. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the social sciences program here. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $21,915. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
A rank of #4 makes Eastern Kentucky University one of the best values for social sciences. Set in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,230. Students borrow a median of $21,498 to complete the social sciences program here. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $35,899. Set against $21,498 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Kentucky University admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Kentucky University earned it the #5 place for social sciences. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,652, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Students borrow a median of $21,346 to complete the social sciences program here. Social Sciences graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median of $33,846 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,346 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Morehead State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value social sciences schools. Set in the town of Morehead, Morehead State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,024 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,980. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Morehead State University generally make around $34,511. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Morehead State University admits about 77% of applicants.
University Of Kentucky landed the #7 spot for social sciences value this year. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $24,225 in student loans. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $35,151. That is a strong return on a $24,225 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
University Of Louisville earned the #8 position for value in social sciences this year. Located in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, while out-of-state students pay about $29,482. Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $21,864 in student loans. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from University Of Louisville generally make around $32,042. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Centre College landed the #9 spot for social sciences value this year. Centre College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Danville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,820. Typical student debt for social sciences graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social sciences degree recipients from Centre College generally make around $50,883. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Centre College admits about 54% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
