2026 Best Value Associate Degree Schools Associate’s Degree Schools
[Associate Degree Schools](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-animal-health-technologies/veterinary-animal-health-technologies-other/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong associate degree schools education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for associate degree schools students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Associate Degree Schools Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the associate degree schools degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Associate Degree Schools Schools
For return on investment in associate degree schools, no school beat Cuyahoga Community College District this year. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,249, with out-of-state students paying around $7,249. Students borrow a median of $14,636 to complete the associate degree schools program here. Early-career associate degree schools graduates make about $39,394. That is a strong return on a $14,636 median debt.
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value associate degree schools schools. Lincoln Memorial University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Harrogate. In-state tuition and fees average $26,938. Typical student debt for associate degree schools graduates is $15,500. Early-career associate degree schools graduates make about $64,307. That is a strong return on a $15,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Valley College Cleveland earned it the #3 place for associate degree schools. Set in the suburb of Cleveland, Valley College Cleveland is a small private for-profit institution. Students borrow a median of $15,020 to complete the associate degree schools program here. Early-career associate degree schools graduates make about $26,978. Set against $15,020 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Other Associate Degree Schools Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Associate Degree Schools rankings across degree levels:
View All Associate Degree Schools Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
