2023 Best Value Social Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Social Sciences Doctor's Degree School for You
With 205,984 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, social sciences is the #6 most popular major in the United States.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Social Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools ranking. This report analyzed 168 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best value doctor's degree programs for social sciences students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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2023 Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools in the United States
Check out the social sciences doctor's degree programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for a Doctorate in Social Sciences
Our analysis found The Graduate Center, CUNY to be the best value school for social sciences students who want to pursue a doctor’s degree in the United States. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized public school located in the large city of New York.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at The Graduate Center are $23,640 a year.
The Graduate Center also claimed a spot on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Capella University is a great value for social sciences students working on their doctor’s degree. Located in the large city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a private for-profit college with a very large student population.
Capella University graduate students pay an average of $14,784 in tuition and fees each year.
Out of the 168 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, NIU is a public college with a fairly large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at NIU are $11,390 a year.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means South Dakota State University is a great value for social sciences students working on their doctor’s degree. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school located in the town of Brookings.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at South Dakota State are $16,917 a year.
South Dakota State also claimed a spot on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Social Sciences at South Dakota State University
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Delaware is a great value for social sciences students working on their doctor’s degree. UD is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Newark.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UD are $18,128 a year.
UD excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Delaware
University of Akron Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school located in the city of Akron.
University of Akron Main Campus graduate students pay an average of $11,936 in tuition and fees each year.
Full Social Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus Report
University of South Dakota came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the distant town of Vermillion, USD is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
USD graduate students pay an average of $12,768 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of South Dakota
Texas Woman’s University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the medium-sized city of Denton, TWU is a public school with a large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at TWU are $15,048 a year.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Texas Woman’s University
Teachers College at Columbia University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the large city of New York, Teachers College is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Teachers College graduate students pay an average of $35,054 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Teachers College also is in the top 5% of our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking.
Full Social Sciences at Teachers College at Columbia University Report
Texas State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the small city of San Marcos, Texas State is a public school with a very large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Texas State are $17,220 per year.
University of California - Berkeley ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. UC Berkeley is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UC Berkeley are $29,262 per year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UC Berkeley also did well on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Cornell University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. Cornell is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Ithaca.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Cornell are $30,006 per year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cornell also is in the top 5% of our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking. IUP is a moderately-sized public school located in the distant town of Indiana.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at IUP are $18,207 a year.
With a ranking of #14, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social sciences students working on their doctor’s degree. Located in the fringe town of Bowling Green, BGSU is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at BGSU are $15,823 per year.
University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value doctor’s degree social sciences programs. UW - Madison is a fairly large public school located in the city of Madison.
UW - Madison graduate students pay an average of $25,501 in tuition and fees each year.
UW - Madison excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value doctor’s degree social sciences programs. UT Austin is a very large public school located in the large city of Austin.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UT Austin are $22,944 per year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UT Austin also did well on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Full Social Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin Report
University of North Texas ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Denton, UNT is a public school with a very large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UNT are $15,600 per year.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of North Texas
University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the large city of Lincoln, UNL is a public school with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at UNL are $19,541 a year.
Full Social Sciences at University of Nebraska - Lincoln Report
Loyola University Chicago landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value doctor’s degree social sciences programs. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.
Loyola Chicago graduate students pay an average of $19,894 in tuition and fees each year.
With a ranking of #20, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social sciences students working on their doctor’s degree. UCLA is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UCLA are $28,138 per year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UCLA also is in the top 15% of our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking.
Colorado School of Mines landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value doctor’s degree social sciences programs. Mines is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden.
Mines graduate students pay an average of $40,844 in tuition and fees each year.
In addition to its great value ranking, Mines is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list.
University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public school with a very large student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at University of Virginia are $33,520 a year.
In addition to its great value ranking, University of Virginia is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Social Sciences Doctor’s Degree Schools list.
Full Social Sciences at University of Virginia - Main Campus Report
University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social sciences students to get a doctor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. UNC Charlotte is a fairly large public school located in the city of Charlotte.
UNC Charlotte graduate students pay an average of $21,147 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social sciences students to get a doctor’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. USF Tampa is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Tampa.
USF Tampa graduate students pay an average of $21,126 in tuition and fees each year.
Texas Tech University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social sciences students to get a doctor’s degree. It came in at #25 on the list. Texas Tech is a fairly large public school located in the city of Lubbock.
Texas Tech graduate students pay an average of $17,698 in tuition and fees each year.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some additional great value schools for Social Sciences students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Social Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Yale University | New Haven, CT |
| 27 | Rice University | Houston, TX |
| 28 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA |
| 29 | Cleveland State University | Cleveland, OH |
| 30 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA |
| 31 | University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA |
| 32 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 32 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA |
| 32 | University of Wyoming | Laramie, WY |
| 32 | Iowa State University | Ames, IA |
| 32 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA |
Social Sciences by Region
View the Best Value Social Sciences Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Social Sciences Rankings
Majors Related to Social Sciences
Social Sciences Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Economics | 49,055 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
| Criminology | 11,039 |
| Geography & Cartography | 8,526 |
| Other Social Sciences | 2,414 |
| Urban Studies | 1,507 |
| Sociology & Anthropology | 541 |
| Archeology | 339 |
| Demography & Population Studies | 88 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Social Sciences
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Education | 327,871 |
| Psychology | 195,678 |
| Communication & Journalism | 120,571 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 55,820 |
| History | 32,731 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to AndrГ© KГјnzelmann.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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