2026 Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Earth Science Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/earth-science-teacher-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong earth science teacher education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for earth science teacher education students.
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2026 Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in earth science teacher education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools
Ball State University tops our 2026 list of the best value earth science teacher education schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,082, with out-of-state students paying around $29,630. Earth Science Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $24,998 in student loans. Soon after graduation, earth science teacher education degree recipients from Ball State University generally make around $47,863. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in earth science teacher education will find it at Central Michigan University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $29,000. Early-career earth science teacher education graduates make about $50,688. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Albion College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in earth science teacher education, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Albion, Albion College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,950. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $26,047. Early-career earth science teacher education graduates make about $40,829. That is a strong return on a $26,047 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Grand Valley State University earned it the #4 place for earth science teacher education. Located in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,502 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,894. Earth Science Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $30,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, earth science teacher education degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $46,124. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in earth science teacher education will find it at Western Michigan University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $29,000. Soon after graduation, earth science teacher education degree recipients from Western Michigan University generally make around $48,966. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Calvin College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value earth science teacher education schools. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Calvin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $39,350. Students borrow a median of $26,022 to complete the earth science teacher education program here. Earth Science Teacher Education graduates of Calvin College earn a median of $44,220 early in their careers. Set against $26,022 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 71%.
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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 · 6 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.
