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2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate

261 Ranked Colleges
16,359 Degrees Awarded
$7,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for an Associate

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Education Schools for an Associate” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 310,601 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

At the associate degree level specifically, there were 16,359 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,082 and $17,678 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for an Associate” ranking looked at 261 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Education Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Education Schools for an Associate” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Education Schools for an Associate

The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree education students.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Education

#1

Urban College of Boston

Boston, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 261 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Urban College of Boston landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 57 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

Urban College of Boston did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Urban College of Boston is $6,843 for associate degree education students.

The 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.

Read more about Education at Urban College of Boston

#2

Middlesex County College

Edison, New Jersey
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 261 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Middlesex County College landed the #2 spot on the list. Edison, New Jersey is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s education degrees to 92 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree education students list, Middlesex County College has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Middlesex County College is $6,649 for Associate Degree Education students.

Full Middlesex County College Education Report

#3

Navarro College

Corsicana, Texas
#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Navarro College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate. Navarro College is located in Corsicana, Texas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 associates’s education degrees to qualified students.

Navarro College also took the #16 spot in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Navarro College is $14,349 for Associate Degree Education students.

Full Navarro College Education Report

#4

Highland Community College

Highland, Kansas
Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Highland Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate. Highland, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s education degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Highland Community College also did well on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Highland Community College is $7,349 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Highland Community College

#5

Essex County College

Newark, New Jersey
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 261 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Essex County College landed the #5 spot on the list. Essex is located in Newark, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 63 associates’s education degrees to qualified students.

Essex also took the #11 spot in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,443 for associate degree education students per year to attend Essex County College.

Read more about Education at Essex County College

#6

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

Milwaukee Area Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 60 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

MATC also took the #15 spot in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MATC is $9,076 for Associate Degree Education students.

Full Milwaukee Area Technical College Education Report

#7

South Texas College

McAllen, Texas
#17 in overall quality

South Texas College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Located in McAllen, Texas, this large public school awarded 396 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree education students list, South Texas College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,174 for Associate Degree Education students per year to attend South Texas College.

Read more about Education at South Texas College

#3 in overall quality

Rasmussen University - Florida ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Rasmussen University - Florida is located in Ocala, Florida and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 185 associates’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our associate degree education students list, Rasmussen University - Florida has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rasmussen University - Florida is $19,144 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Rasmussen University - Florida

#12 in overall quality

Tarrant County College District did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, this large public school handed out 144 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

Tarrant County College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tarrant County College District is $5,434 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Tarrant County College District

#10

Connors State College

Warner, Oklahoma
#21 in overall quality

Connors State College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking. CSC is a small school located in Warner, Oklahoma that handed out 144 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

CSC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend CSC is $10,571 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read full report on Education at Connors State College

#11

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#24 in overall quality

Central New Mexico Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking. CNM is a large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 117 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CNM, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,429 for associate degree education students per year to attend Central New Mexico Community College.

Read full report on Education at CNM

#12

Holmes Community College

Goodman, Mississippi
Top 25% in overall quality

Holmes Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. This medium-sized school is located in Goodman, Mississippi, and it awarded 79 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Holmes Community College is $4,321 for associate degree education students.

Read full report on Education at Holmes Community College

#13

Copiah-Lincoln Community College

Wesson, Mississippi
Top 25% in overall quality

Copiah-Lincoln Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking. Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a public institution located in Wesson, Mississippi. The school has a small population, and it awarded 85 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Copiah-Lincoln Community College is $3,714 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Copiah-Lincoln Community College

#8 in overall quality

Delaware Technical Community College - Terry ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Located in Dover, Delaware, this fairly large public school awarded 156 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our associate degree education students list, Delaware Tech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Delaware Tech is $8,824 for associate degree education students.

Full Delaware Tech Education Report

#15

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, Texas
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Lone Star College System did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. This large school is located in The Woodlands, Texas, and it awarded 269 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

North Harris Montgomery also made our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Lone Star College System is $8,016 for Associate Degree Education students.

Full North Harris Montgomery Education Report

#16

Camden County College

Blackwood, New Jersey
Top 20% in overall quality

Camden County College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #16. This medium-sized school is located in Blackwood, New Jersey, and it awarded 65 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Camden County College excels when it comes to education quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Camden County College is $6,603 for associate degree education students.

Read full report on Education at Camden County College

#17

Itawamba Community College

Fulton, Mississippi

Itawamba Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Fulton, Mississippi, this small public school handed out 105 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Itawamba Community College is $5,107 for associate degree education students.

Read full report on Education at ICC

#18

Georgia Military College

Milledgeville, Georgia
Top 15% in overall quality

Georgia Military College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Georgia Military College is a public institution located in Milledgeville, Georgia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 123 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Military College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Military College is $9,792 for associate degree education students.

Read more about Education at Georgia Military College

#19

Southern Regional Technical College

Thomasville, Georgia
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Southern Regional Technical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Located in Thomasville, Georgia, this small public school awarded 40 degrees to qualified associates’s education students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southwest Georgia Technical College is $-884 for Associate Degree Education students. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

Full Southwest Georgia Technical College Education Report

#20

San Juan College

Farmington, New Mexico
Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, San Juan College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. Farmington, New Mexico is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s education degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, SJC also did well on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,115 for associate degree education students per year to attend SJC.

Read more about Education at SJC

#21

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, Nebraska
Top 20% in overall quality

Northeast Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking. Northeast is a medium-sized public school situated in Norfolk, Nebraska. It awarded 59 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeast excels when it comes to education quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Northeast is $8,749 for associate degree education students.

Full Northeast Community College Education Report

Top 20% in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate list. This medium-sized school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 43 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Cincinnati State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Cincinnati State is $5,469 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at Cincinnati State

Top 25% in overall quality

Eastern Gateway Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #23. Eastern Gateway Community College is a public institution located in Steubenville, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 171 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Gateway Community College is $3,340 for associate degree education students.

Read more about Education at Eastern Gateway Community College

#24

Fox Valley Technical College

Appleton, Wisconsin
Top 20% in overall quality

Fox Valley Technical College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking. Appleton, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s education degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, FVTC is also in the top of our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Fox Valley Technical College is $11,127 for Associate Degree Education students.

Full Fox Valley Technical College Education Report

Top 20% in overall quality

St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for an Associate ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 15 associates’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, St Cloud Technical and Community College is also in the top of our “Best Education Associate Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for St Cloud Technical and Community College is $9,019 for Associate Degree Education students.

Read more about Education at St Cloud Technical and Community College

Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Education Schools for an Associate

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Central Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins, Georgia
#27

Northern Oklahoma College

Tonkawa, Oklahoma
#28

Delaware County Community College

Media, Pennsylvania
#29

Stanly Community College

Albemarle, North Carolina
#30

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#33

Massachusetts Bay Community College

Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts
#35

Century College

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
#37

Northland Community and Technical College

Thief River Falls, Minnesota
#38

Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane, Washington
#39

Hostos Community College

Bronx, New York
#40

Moraine Park Technical College

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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