2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools.
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2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in higher education/higher education administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
Utah Valley University earned the #1 spot for value among higher education/higher education administration schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,507, while out-of-state students pay about $18,489. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $16,478. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $51,242. Set against $16,478 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Northern Colorado came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $23,974. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $59,991. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Students borrow a median of $22,843 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $82,366. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Montana State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, compared with $33,287 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,635 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Montana State University generally make around $63,672. Set against $23,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Montana State University admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Denver one of the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Located in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $61,398. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $22,534 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $81,337. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Denver admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 7 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.