2026 Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools in the Southeast Region
[Urban Education & Leadership](/majors/education/educational-administration/urban-education-and-leadership/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for urban education & leadership students.
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2026 Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in urban education & leadership, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools
Florida International University earned the #1 spot for value among urban education & leadership schools in the Southeast Region. Set in the suburb of Miami, Florida International University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,565, while out-of-state students pay about $18,964. Typical student debt for urban education & leadership graduates is $19,349. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of Florida International University earn a median of $52,517 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban education & leadership, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,673 to complete the urban education & leadership program here. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $67,597 early in their careers. Set against $24,673 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
University Of Memphis came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value urban education & leadership schools. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,728, compared with $15,384 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for urban education & leadership graduates is $26,315. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of University Of Memphis earn a median of $48,890 early in their careers. Set against $26,315 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Vanderbilt University one of the best values for urban education & leadership. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,498. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete the urban education & leadership program here. Early-career urban education & leadership graduates make about $78,283. Set against $13,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes East Tennessee State University one of the best values for urban education & leadership. Located in the city of Johnson City, East Tennessee State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,216, while out-of-state students pay about $13,726. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $21,301 in student loans. Early-career urban education & leadership graduates make about $62,532. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College placed #6 among the best values for urban education & leadership. Located in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,954 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,631. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $21,348 in student loans. Soon after graduation, urban education & leadership degree recipients from Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College generally make around $60,719. That is a strong return on a $21,348 median debt. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College admits about 73% of applicants.
Columbia International University earned the #7 position for value in urban education & leadership this year. Located in the city of Columbia, Columbia International University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,900. Students borrow a median of $21,667 to complete the urban education & leadership program here. Soon after graduation, urban education & leadership degree recipients from Columbia International University generally make around $32,296. That is a strong return on a $21,667 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Union University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value urban education & leadership schools. Set in the city of Jackson, Union University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,398. Students borrow a median of $28,605 to complete the urban education & leadership program here. Soon after graduation, urban education & leadership degree recipients from Union University generally make around $68,508. Set against $28,605 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Liberty University earned the #9 position for value in urban education & leadership this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,173. Typical student debt for urban education & leadership graduates is $27,414. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $45,877 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,414 median debt. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
Nova Southeastern University came in at #10 for value in urban education & leadership this year. Nova Southeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $38,700. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $25,021 in student loans. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of Nova Southeastern University earn a median of $70,595 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,021 median debt. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
