2026 Best Value Education Philosophy Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in education philosophy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Education Philosophy Schools
Our analysis ranked California State University Los Angeles the best value for a degree in education philosophy in California. Set in the city of Los Angeles, California State University Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,164 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,764 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,430 to complete the education philosophy program here. Early-career education philosophy graduates make about $48,403. Set against $14,430 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in education philosophy will find it at California State University Long Beach, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,374 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,974. Education Philosophy graduates carry a median of $15,671 in student loans. Soon after graduation, education philosophy degree recipients from California State University Long Beach generally make around $45,488. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Los Angeles earned it the #3 place for education philosophy. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Education Philosophy graduates carry a median of $16,097 in student loans. Education Philosophy graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of $63,833 early in their careers. Set against $16,097 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in education philosophy will find it at University Of California Riverside, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,636, while out-of-state students pay about $46,524. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the education philosophy program here. Education Philosophy graduates of University Of California Riverside earn a median of $23,447 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Riverside admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Santa Cruz earned it the #5 place for education philosophy. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,035, compared with $46,923 for out-of-state students. Education Philosophy graduates carry a median of $18,559 in student loans. Early-career education philosophy graduates make about $40,920. Set against $18,559 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Santa Cruz admits about 66% of applicants.
Hope International University placed #6 among the best values for education philosophy. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, Hope International University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $38,125. Typical student debt for education philosophy graduates is $24,656. Soon after graduation, education philosophy degree recipients from Hope International University generally make around $61,817. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 33% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Education Philosophy](/majors/education/education-philosophy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong education philosophy education at a price that pays off.
