[Community College Education](/majors/education/educational-administration/community-college-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong community college education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for community college education students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in community college education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked University Of Nebraska Lincoln the best value for a degree in community college education in the The Plains States Region. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Community College Education graduates carry a median of $22,386 in student loans. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $68,422. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in community college education, landing the #2 spot this year. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Students borrow a median of $23,546 to complete the community college education program here. Community College Education graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $59,907 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in community college education will find it at Iowa State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for community college education graduates is $23,495. Soon after graduation, community college education degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $53,900. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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.
