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2023 Best Value Colleges for Elementary Education (Income $48-$75k)

674 Ranked Colleges
43,003 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 43,003 people earned their degree in elementary education, making the major the 17th most popular in the United States.

For this year’s “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 674 colleges that offer a degree in elementary education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent elementary education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the elementary education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Elementary Education (Income $48-$75k)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k list, Stanford has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $7,081 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 more about Elementary Education at Stanford

2
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Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Out of the 674 schools in the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #2 spot on the list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Nashville, Tennessee. It awarded 17 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $7,694 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Vanderbilt

3
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 38 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also made our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $8,375 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Chicago.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Elementary Education at UChicago

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 83 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $8,393 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

5
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Hunter College
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hunter College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Hunter College is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 140 ’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Hunter is also in the top of our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,908 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Hunter.

The low undergrad 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 Elementary Education at Hunter

6
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #6, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 8 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Johns Hopkins, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,457 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Johns Hopkins.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Johns Hopkins University Elementary Education Report

7
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University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 118 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UF is in the top on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $8,394 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Elementary Education at University of Florida

8
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 83 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $8,450 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Purdue

9
Brooklyn College crest
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Brooklyn, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s elementary teaching degrees to 155 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Brooklyn College also did well on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brooklyn College is $7,219 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Brooklyn College

10
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University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 20 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Pennsylvania is $12,020 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Full UPenn Elementary Education Report

11

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s elementary teaching degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $11,505 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Elementary Education at UIUC

12

University of Central Florida landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school handed out 319 diplomas to qualified ’s elementary teaching students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCF, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,426 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCF.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Read more about Elementary Education at University of Central Florida

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also claimed a top spot on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,481 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Elementary Education at U-M

14
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s elementary teaching degrees to 92 students in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,369 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Indiana University - Bloomington

15

Brigham Young University - Idaho ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. BYU - I is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Rexburg, Idaho. It awarded 145 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $5,422 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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 Elementary Education at Brigham Young University - Idaho

16
Middlesex Community College crest
Middlesex Community College
Bedford, Massachusetts

Middlesex Community College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Middlesex Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Bedford, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Middlesex Community College is $5,295 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Elementary Education at Middlesex Community College

17

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 142 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa excels when it comes to elementary teaching quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of South Florida - Main Campus is $9,669 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Elementary Education at USF Tampa

18
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

Queens College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Queens, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 173 degrees to qualified ’s elementary teaching students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Queens College is $7,582 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at QC

19

With a ranking of #19, Sinclair Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 54 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Sinclair Community College is $6,283 for Elementary Teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Sinclair Community College Elementary Education Report

20

Florida International University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 108 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, FIU also did well on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $7,292 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Florida International University

20
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

Lehman College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Lehman is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 27 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Lehman College is $8,084 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Lehman College Elementary Education Report

22
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 71 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Elementary Education Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $11,506 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Florida State University

22
WGU crest
Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #22, Western Governors University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 2,448 diplomas to qualified ’s elementary teaching students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, WGU is also in the top of our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for WGU is $12,942 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full WGU Elementary Education Report

24
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The City College of New York
New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 69 ’s elementary teaching degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend The City College of New York is $7,521 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Elementary Education at The City College of New York

25

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s elementary teaching degrees to 87 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #21 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,911 for elementary teaching students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Elementary Education at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
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College of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
29
30
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University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri
31
32
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University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
33
33
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University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
35
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Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
36
37
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University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
38
CWU crest
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington
39
Marshall University crest
Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia
40
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
41
42
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
43
Indian River State College crest
Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, Florida
44
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Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
45
46
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Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan
47
48
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University of North Georgia
Dahlonega, Georgia
49
50
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Holmes Community College
Goodman, Mississippi

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
52 Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville, NC
53 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC
54 Heritage University Toppenish, WA
55 Itawamba Community College Fulton, MS
56 Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY
57 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
58 Quinsigamond Community College Worcester, MA
59 Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE
60 Bristol Community College Fall River, MA
61 William & Mary Williamsburg, VA
62 University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK
63 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC
64 Dickinson State University Dickinson, ND
65 Southern Oregon University Ashland, OR
Rank College Location
66 Minot State University Minot, ND
67 Utah Valley University Orem, UT
68 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
68 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI
70 Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC
71 New Mexico Highlands University Las Vegas, NM
72 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
73 Ball State University Muncie, IN
74 Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
75 Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL
76 Murray State University Murray, KY
76 Valley City State University Valley City, ND
78 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ
79 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
80 East Carolina University Greenville, NC
81 University of Phoenix - Arizona Tempe, AZ
82 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
83 The University of West Florida Pensacola, FL
84 Towson University Towson, MD
85 Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC
86 St Petersburg College Clearwater, FL
87 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA
88 University of Alaska Southeast Juneau, AK
89 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
90 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA
Rank College Location
91 Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
92 University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI
93 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
94 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR
95 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
96 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC
97 New Mexico State University - Main Campus Las Cruces, NM
98 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
99 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
100 Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK
101 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN
102 Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA

Notes and References

References

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