2026 Best Value Elementary & Middle School Administration/Principalship Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Elementary & Middle School Administration/Principalship](/majors/education/educational-administration/elementary-and-middle-school-administration-principalship/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for elementary & middle school administration/principalship students.
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2026 Best Value Elementary & Middle School Administration/Principalship Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in elementary & middle school administration/principalship, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Elementary & Middle School Administration/Principalship Schools
For return on investment in elementary & middle school administration/principalship, no school beat Southeast Missouri State University this year. Set in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. Students borrow a median of $23,289 to complete the elementary & middle school administration/principalship program here. Early-career elementary & middle school administration/principalship graduates make about $43,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in elementary & middle school administration/principalship will find it at Northwest Missouri State University, which ranked #2. Northwest Missouri State University is a large public school located in the town of Maryville. In-state tuition and fees average $10,611, while out-of-state students pay about $17,324. Students borrow a median of $23,585 to complete the elementary & middle school administration/principalship program here. Soon after graduation, elementary & middle school administration/principalship degree recipients from Northwest Missouri State University generally make around $42,939. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in elementary & middle school administration/principalship will find it at Wayne State College, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,171. Typical student debt for elementary & middle school administration/principalship graduates is $22,974. Soon after graduation, elementary & middle school administration/principalship degree recipients from Wayne State College generally make around $65,798. That is a strong return on a $22,974 median debt.
University Of Central Missouri came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary & middle school administration/principalship schools. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,050, compared with $18,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,304 to complete the elementary & middle school administration/principalship program here. Soon after graduation, elementary & middle school administration/principalship degree recipients from University Of Central Missouri generally make around $45,496. That is a strong return on a $24,304 median debt. University Of Central Missouri admits about 64% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Mary one of the best values for elementary & middle school administration/principalship. Set in the rural area of Bismarck, University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $22,356 in tuition and fees. Elementary & Middle School Administration/principalship graduates carry a median of $26,983 in student loans. Soon after graduation, elementary & middle school administration/principalship degree recipients from University Of Mary generally make around $54,998. Set against $26,983 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Mary admits about 75% of applicants.
Bethel University Minnesota landed the #6 spot for elementary & middle school administration/principalship value this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Paul, Bethel University Minnesota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $44,226 in tuition and fees. Elementary & Middle School Administration/principalship graduates carry a median of $25,639 in student loans. Elementary & Middle School Administration/principalship graduates of Bethel University Minnesota earn a median of $94,291 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota earned the #7 position for value in elementary & middle school administration/principalship this year. University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. In-state tuition and fees average $54,398. Students borrow a median of $23,923 to complete the elementary & middle school administration/principalship program here. Early-career elementary & middle school administration/principalship graduates make about $47,377. Set against $23,923 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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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 · 8 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.
