2027 Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Secondary School Administration/Principalship](/majors/education/educational-administration/secondary-school-administration-principalship/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong secondary school administration/principalship education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value secondary school administration/principalship schools.
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2027 Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary school administration/principalship, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools
Our analysis ranked Western Michigan University the best value for a degree in secondary school administration/principalship in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,987, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Typical student debt for secondary school administration/principalship graduates is $27,981. Soon after graduation, secondary school administration/principalship degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $75,270. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Eastern Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary school administration/principalship, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Typical student debt for secondary school administration/principalship graduates is $28,781. Early-career secondary school administration/principalship graduates make about $47,887. That is a strong return on a $28,781 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Illinois State University earned it the #3 place for secondary school administration/principalship. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,896 to complete the secondary school administration/principalship program here. Soon after graduation, secondary school administration/principalship degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $49,660. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in secondary school administration/principalship will find it at Mckendree University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of Lebanon, Mckendree University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $34,740. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates carry a median of $24,362 in student loans. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates of Mckendree University earn a median of $57,251 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value secondary school administration/principalship schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for secondary school administration/principalship graduates is $23,530. Early-career secondary school administration/principalship graduates make about $64,406. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton placed #6 among the best values for secondary school administration/principalship. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the secondary school administration/principalship program here. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $54,726 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 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.