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2023 Best Value Colleges for Urban Education & Leadership

27 Ranked Colleges
736 Degrees Awarded
$21,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 736 people earned their degree in urban education and leadership, making the major the 498th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered a degree in urban education and leadership. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality urban education and leadership programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the urban education and leadership program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Urban Education & Leadership Schools

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The urban education and leadership 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 Urban Education and Leadership Schools”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Urban Education & Leadership

1
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Liberty University landed the #1 spot on the list. Liberty University is located in Lynchburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s urban education and leadership degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Liberty University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Liberty University is $29,382 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Liberty University

2
Providence crest
Providence College
Providence, Rhode Island

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Providence College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools. Providence is a private not-for-profit institution located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Providence, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. It costs about $38,338 for Urban Education and Leadership students per year to attend Providence College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 92%.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at Providence

3
TCNJ crest
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, New Jersey

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The College of New Jersey. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools. Ewing, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s urban education and leadership degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

TCNJ not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend The College of New Jersey is $28,245 for urban education and leadership students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at The College of New Jersey

4
Union crest
Union University
Jackson, Tennessee

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Union University landed the #4 spot on the list. Union is a private not-for-profit institution located in Jackson, Tennessee. The school has a small population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Union also took the #12 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Union is $29,990 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 Urban Education & Leadership at Union University

5
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Loyola Marymount University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools. Loyola Marymount University is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 228 ’s urban education and leadership degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $44,467 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Loyola Marymount University

6
Cardinal Stritch crest
Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cardinal Stritch University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. Cardinal Stritch is a small school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 2 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

Cardinal Stritch also made our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Cardinal Stritch is $18,483 for urban education and leadership students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Cardinal Stritch University Urban Education & Leadership Report

7

University of Nevada - Las Vegas ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. Las Vegas, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s urban education and leadership degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

UNLV also made our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nevada - Las Vegas is $10,993 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% 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%.

Full UNLV Urban Education & Leadership Report

8

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking, coming in at #8. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $14,590 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Urban Education & Leadership Report

9
Metro State crest
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. Metro State is a public institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our urban education and leadership students list, Metro State has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Metro State is $16,044 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Metropolitan State University

10

University of North Carolina at Charlotte landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 38 degrees to qualified ’s urban education and leadership students in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte also made our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Charlotte is $17,634 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

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

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at UNC Charlotte

11
Park University crest
Park University
Parkville, Missouri

Park University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Parkville, Missouri, and it awarded 2 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Park University is $14,619 for urban education and leadership students.

Full Park University Urban Education & Leadership Report

12

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. UWM is a large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 57 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

UWM also took the #16 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,486 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at UWM

13

Florida International University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. Florida International University is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $5,298 for urban education and leadership students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at FIU

14

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking, coming in at #14. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $13,214 for urban education and leadership students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at University of Illinois at Chicago

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is a large public school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 23 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

CU Anschutz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend CU Anschutz is $14,470 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

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%.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

16
Kean crest
Kean University
Union, New Jersey

Kean University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. Union, New Jersey is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s urban education and leadership degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our urban education and leadership students list, Kean has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. It costs about $18,191 for urban education and leadership students per year to attend Kean.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Kean

17

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking, coming in at #17. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s urban education and leadership degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. It costs about $12,416 for urban education and leadership students per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IUPUI Urban Education & Leadership Report

18
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

University of Delaware came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. UD is a large public school situated in Newark, Delaware. It awarded 20 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

UD also made our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of Delaware is $18,967 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at University of Delaware

19
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

With a ranking of #19, The Graduate Center, CUNY did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. The Graduate Center is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our urban education and leadership students list, The Graduate Center has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at The Graduate Center

20
HNU crest
Holy Names University
Oakland, California

Holy Names University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking, coming in at #20. HNU is a small school located in Oakland, California that handed out 9 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $22,527 for urban education and leadership students per year to attend Holy Names University.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Holy Names University

21
NJCU crest
New Jersey City University
Jersey City, New Jersey

New Jersey City University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized school is located in Jersey City, New Jersey, and it awarded 38 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

NJCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. It costs about $13,297 for Urban Education and Leadership students per year to attend NJCU.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at NJCU

22
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. Located in Malibu, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s urban education and leadership students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pepperdine, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. It costs about $38,846 for Urban Education and Leadership students per year to attend Pepperdine University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at Pepperdine University

23
Belmont crest
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee

With a ranking of #23, Belmont University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools list. Belmont University is a medium-sized school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 14 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Belmont, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Belmont University is $30,489 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at Belmont University

24

University of Massachusetts - Boston came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. UMass Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMass Boston did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $17,752 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

Read more about Urban Education & Leadership at UMass Boston

25
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Urban Education and Leadership Schools ranking. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 17 ’s urban education and leadership degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Urban Education & Leadership Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt is $19,970 for Urban Education and Leadership students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Urban Education & Leadership at Vanderbilt University

Notes and References

References

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