2026 Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools in the Far Western Region
[Urban Education & Leadership](/majors/education/educational-administration/urban-education-and-leadership/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong urban education & leadership education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for urban education & leadership students.
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2026 Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in urban education & leadership, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Urban Education & Leadership Schools
University Of Nevada Las Vegas tops our 2026 list of the best value urban education & leadership schools in the Far Western Region. University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a very large public school located in the city of Las Vegas. Students from in state pay about $9,748 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,411. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $21,181 in student loans. Early-career urban education & leadership graduates make about $69,469. That is a strong return on a $21,181 median debt. University Of Nevada Las Vegas admits about 96% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Azusa Pacific University earned it the #2 place for urban education & leadership. Set in the suburb of Azusa, Azusa Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,458. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $23,709 in student loans. Soon after graduation, urban education & leadership degree recipients from Azusa Pacific University generally make around $58,302. Set against $23,709 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Azusa Pacific University admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Southern California is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban education & leadership, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $90,290 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
University Of San Francisco is a great value for students pursuing a degree in urban education & leadership, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $60,522 in tuition and fees. Urban Education & Leadership graduates carry a median of $23,935 in student loans. Soon after graduation, urban education & leadership degree recipients from University Of San Francisco generally make around $62,903. Set against $23,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Pepperdine University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value urban education & leadership schools. Pepperdine University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Malibu. In-state tuition and fees average $69,918. Students borrow a median of $23,645 to complete the urban education & leadership program here. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of Pepperdine University earn a median of $85,709 early in their careers. Set against $23,645 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Loyola Marymount University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value urban education & leadership schools. Loyola Marymount University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $61,867. Typical student debt for urban education & leadership graduates is $22,248. Urban Education & Leadership graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of $89,704 early in their careers. Set against $22,248 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Loyola Marymount University admits about 45% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 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.
