2026 Best Value Educational Administration Schools in Alabama
[Educational Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/) 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 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for educational administration students.
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2026 Best Value Educational Administration Schools in Alabama
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the educational administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Educational Administration Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Alabama, our #1 best value for educational administration in Alabama. University Of North Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Florence. In-state tuition and fees average $12,120, compared with $22,320 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $24,291. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $41,357. Set against $24,291 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in educational administration will find it at University Of West Alabama, which ranked #2. Set in the rural area of Livingston, University Of West Alabama is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,990 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,090 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $31,894. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $65,443. Set against $31,894 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 43%.
Auburn University At Montgomery is a great value for students pursuing a degree in educational administration, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Montgomery, Auburn University At Montgomery is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,700, while out-of-state students pay about $20,668. Educational Administration graduates carry a median of $29,746 in student loans. Soon after graduation, educational administration degree recipients from Auburn University At Montgomery generally make around $44,249. Set against $29,746 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Jacksonville State University earned it the #4 place for educational administration. Jacksonville State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Jacksonville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,894, with out-of-state students paying around $23,334. Students borrow a median of $24,751 to complete the educational administration program here. Soon after graduation, educational administration degree recipients from Jacksonville State University generally make around $67,981. That is a strong return on a $24,751 median debt. Jacksonville State University admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of South Alabama came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value educational administration schools. University Of South Alabama is a large public school located in the city of Mobile. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,116, compared with $19,092 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $26,513. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $51,592. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Alabama admits about 71% of applicants.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham placed #6 among the best values for educational administration. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,098, while out-of-state students pay about $22,562. Students borrow a median of $26,162 to complete the educational administration program here. Educational Administration graduates of University Of Alabama At Birmingham earn a median of $69,736 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The University Of Alabama placed #7 among the best values for educational administration. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,180, while out-of-state students pay about $34,172. Students borrow a median of $24,496 to complete the educational administration program here. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $73,917. Set against $24,496 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
Auburn University placed #8 among the best values for educational administration. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,890, with out-of-state students paying around $34,922. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $22,803. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $55,619. Set against $22,803 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Samford University placed #9 among the best values for educational administration. Samford University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Birmingham. In-state tuition and fees average $40,150. Educational Administration graduates carry a median of $21,039 in student loans. Educational Administration graduates of Samford University earn a median of $78,489 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More Educational Administration Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
