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2023 Best Value Colleges for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration (Income $0-$30k)

189 Ranked Colleges
4,709 Degrees Awarded
$6,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Higher Education/Higher Education Administration is the 160th most popular major in the country with 4,709 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

For this year’s “Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 189 colleges that offer a degree in higher education/higher education administration. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality higher education/higher education administration programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the higher education/higher education administration program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The higher education/higher education administration school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration (Income $0-$30k)

1
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pennsylvania. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 63 degrees to qualified ’s higher education/higher education administration students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k list, UPenn has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” ranking. It costs about $580 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UPenn.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Pennsylvania Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

2
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 36 degrees to qualified ’s higher education/higher education administration students in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt also took the #2 spot in our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $3,176 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Vanderbilt

3
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” ranking. It costs about $245 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern University.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Northwestern

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 8 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $65 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at University of Florida

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 31 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also claimed a top spot on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full U-M Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

6
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 44 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

Boston College also made our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $10,212 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Boston College

7
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #7, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NC State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $7,283 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at North Carolina State University

8
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $12,476 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Virginia - Main Campus Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

9
Baruch crest
Baruch College
New York, New York

Baruch College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Baruch College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $493 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Baruch.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Baruch College

10

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 14 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington excels when it comes to higher education/higher education administration quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $5,752 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Indiana University - Bloomington

11
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $6,927 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Michigan State

12
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $4,950 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Florida State Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

13
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #13, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Georgia is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 8 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UGA, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $8,303 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Georgia Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

14

California State University - Northridge landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 24 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Northridge is $6,266 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at CSUN

15

Florida International University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida International University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 55 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $3,196 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida International University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Florida International University

16

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 17 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,859 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Fresno State

17
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State is $7,354 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Appalachian State

18
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #18, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNF is a fairly large school located in Jacksonville, Florida that handed out 13 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,367 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNF.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at University of North Florida

19

With a ranking of #19, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 49 diplomas to qualified ’s higher education/higher education administration students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $8,969 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Arizona State University - Tempe

20
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 3 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $8,273 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Ball State

21

Citadel Military College of South Carolina ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Charleston, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend The Citadel is $7,451 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full The Citadel Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

22
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 11 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. It costs about $11,934 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Virginia Tech.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Higher Education/Higher Education Administration at Virginia Tech

22

University of North Texas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. UNT is a large public school situated in Denton, Texas. It awarded 32 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of North Texas is $6,387 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UNT Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

24

With a ranking of #24, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 29 ’s higher education/higher education administration degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Iowa State also did well on our “Best Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $9,766 for Higher Education/Higher Education Administration students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Iowa State University Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

25
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oakland University is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 22 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $8,949 for higher education/higher education administration students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Oakland University Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Report

Rest of the Best 29 in Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 29 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
27
SUNY Stony Brook crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York
28
29

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