2026 Best Value Agricultural Teacher Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Agricultural Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/agricultural-teacher-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for agricultural teacher education students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Agricultural Teacher Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agricultural teacher education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agricultural Teacher Education Schools
Purdue University Main Campus earned the #1 spot for value among agricultural teacher education schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the agricultural teacher education program here. Agricultural Teacher Education graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $44,923 early in their careers. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin River Falls earned it the #2 place for agricultural teacher education. Located in the town of River Falls, University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,008 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,470. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the agricultural teacher education program here. Agricultural Teacher Education graduates of University Of Wisconsin River Falls earn a median of $43,296 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural teacher education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Agricultural Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Agricultural Teacher Education graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $57,461 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural teacher education, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Platteville, University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,644 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,603 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agricultural teacher education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, agricultural teacher education degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Platteville generally make around $46,069. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Southern Illinois University Carbondale one of the best values for agricultural teacher education. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,334. Typical student debt for agricultural teacher education graduates is $21,182. Soon after graduation, agricultural teacher education degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $51,816. That is a strong return on a $21,182 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Eastern Michigan University placed #6 among the best values for agricultural teacher education. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Agricultural Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agricultural teacher education degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $47,887. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Ohio State University Main Campus came in at #7 for value in agricultural teacher education this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,244 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the agricultural teacher education program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural teacher education degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $49,282. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Michigan State University placed #8 among the best values for agricultural teacher education. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $27,437 to complete the agricultural teacher education program here. Early-career agricultural teacher education graduates make about $60,244. Set against $27,437 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.