2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 310,601 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, education is the 4th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 90,265 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 1,058 colleges that offer a degree in education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree education students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education
Out of the 1,058 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. BYU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Provo, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 387 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, BYU also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,322 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.
The low student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Governors University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 3,243 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend WGU is $9,805 for bachelor’s degree education students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Out of the 1,058 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #3 spot on the list. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 378 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for BYU - I is $7,167 for bachelor’s degree education students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Minot, North Dakota, this small public school awarded 90 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,898 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend Minot State University.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, North Dakota State University also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full North Dakota State University - Main Campus Education Report
Valley City State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. Valley City State University is located in Valley City, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 169 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Valley City State University is also in the top of our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Valley City State University is $11,981 for bachelor’s degree education students.
Read full report on Education at Valley City State University
Martin Luther College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. Martin Luther College is located in New Ulm, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 143 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.
MLC excels when it comes to education quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for MLC is $19,703 for bachelor’s degree education students.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Bellevue University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Bellevue University is a fairly large school located in Bellevue, Nebraska that handed out 13 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,616 for bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend Bellevue University.
With a ranking of #9, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 122 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
South Dakota State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree education students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Chadron State College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Chadron State College is a small school located in Chadron, Nebraska that handed out 85 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Chadron State College is $14,268 for bachelor’s degree education students.
University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 178 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - River Falls also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $13,748 for bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Dickinson State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. DSU is a small public school situated in Dickinson, North Dakota. It awarded 30 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Dickinson State University is $10,855 for bachelor’s degree education students.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 253 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, SIUC also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 165 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - La Crosse also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 141 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $17,067 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students per year to attend UMN Duluth.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Education at University of Minnesota - Duluth
University of Phoenix - Arizona ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Phoenix - Arizona is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 222 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend University of Phoenix - Arizona is $12,944 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
With a ranking of #17, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
UW - Green Bay also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for bachelor’s degree education students.
With a ranking of #18, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 159 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, UND is in the top on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $15,738 for bachelor’s degree education students per year to attend UND.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Dakota State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Madison, South Dakota, this small public school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Dakota State is $17,691 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 304 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Whitewater also did well on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $15,249 for bachelor’s degree education students.
With a ranking of #21, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 129 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Bemidji State University is $15,868 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
With a ranking of #22, Winona State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 273 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Winona State is in the top on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Winona State is $17,656 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of South Dakota ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of South Dakota is a medium-sized public school situated in Vermillion, South Dakota. It awarded 146 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of South Dakota is $18,555 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 177 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Eau Claire excels when it comes to education quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for Bachelor’s Degree Education students.
University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - Stout is a medium-sized school located in Menomonie, Wisconsin that handed out 124 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stout excels when it comes to education quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout is $15,839 for bachelor’s degree education students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Rest of the Best 51 in Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 51 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Yakima Valley College | Yakima, WA |
| 53 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown, PA |
| 54 | Brandman University | Irvine, CA |
| 55 | SUNY Cortland | Cortland, NY |
| 56 | Fort Hays State University | Hays, KS |
| 57 | Black Hills State University | Spearfish, SD |
| 58 | Minnesota State University - Moorhead | Moorhead, MN |
| 59 | Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, IL |
| 60 | Nicholls State University | Thibodaux, LA |
| 61 | Rasmussen University - Florida | Ocala, FL |
| 62 | Broward College | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| 63 | University of South Florida - Main Campus | Tampa, FL |
| 64 | Northern Illinois University | Dekalb, IL |
| 65 | California State University - Northridge | Northridge, CA |
| 66 | University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg, KY |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 142 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | West Chester, PA |
| 143 | National Louis University | Chicago, IL |
| 144 | California State University - San Marcos | San Marcos, CA |
| 145 | Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond, LA |
| 146 | Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, MI |
| 146 | Shepherd University | Shepherdstown, WV |
| 148 | University of New Orleans | New Orleans, LA |
| 149 | Clayton State University | Morrow, GA |
| 150 | National University | La Jolla, CA |
| 150 | Utah Valley University | Orem, UT |
| 152 | SUNY Geneseo | Geneseo, NY |
| 153 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, MO |
| 153 | University of Sioux Falls | Sioux Falls, SD |
| 155 | Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA |
| 156 | SUNY Fredonia | Fredonia, NY |
| 157 | Youngstown State University | Youngstown, OH |
| 158 | Brooklyn College | Brooklyn, NY |
| 159 | Thomas University | Thomasville, GA |
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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