[Community College Education](/majors/education/educational-administration/community-college-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for community college education students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in community college education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked New Jersey City University the best value for a degree in community college education in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the city of Jersey City, New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,460. Community College Education graduates carry a median of $22,107 in student loans. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from New Jersey City University generally make around $67,503. Set against $22,107 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New Jersey City University admits about 98% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Morgan State University earned it the #2 place for community college education. Set in the city of Baltimore, Morgan State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,229, compared with $19,124 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $30,309 to complete the community college education program here. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from Morgan State University generally make around $77,064. Set against $30,309 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Students looking for strong value in community college education will find it at Suny At Albany, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Albany, Suny At Albany is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,601 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $30,991. Students borrow a median of $23,521 to complete the community college education program here. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from Suny At Albany generally make around $51,925. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Rowan University one of the best values for community college education. Set in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,574, compared with $26,932 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,488 to complete the community college education program here. Community College Education graduates of Rowan University earn a median of $72,463 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,488 median debt. Rowan University admits about 78% of applicants.
Drexel University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in community college education, landing the #5 spot this year. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $62,412. Typical student debt for community college education graduates is $28,838. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from Drexel University generally make around $67,556. Set against $28,838 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Drexel University admits about 79% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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.
