2026 Best Value Reading Teacher Education Schools in New Jersey
[Reading Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/reading-teacher-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for reading teacher education students.
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2026 Best Value Reading Teacher Education Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in reading teacher education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Reading Teacher Education Schools
For return on investment in reading teacher education, no school beat New Jersey City University this year. New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Jersey City. In-state tuition and fees average $14,460. Students borrow a median of $22,107 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Early-career reading teacher education graduates make about $47,083. Set against $22,107 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Kean University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value reading teacher education schools. Located in the suburb of Union, Kean University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,299, compared with $22,446 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,625 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Soon after graduation, reading teacher education degree recipients from Kean University generally make around $48,705. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Montclair State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in reading teacher education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Montclair, Montclair State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,912, while out-of-state students pay about $26,022. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Soon after graduation, reading teacher education degree recipients from Montclair State University generally make around $55,719. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Montclair State University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes William Paterson University Of New Jersey one of the best values for reading teacher education. Set in the suburb of Wayne, William Paterson University Of New Jersey is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,704, with out-of-state students paying around $25,344. Typical student debt for reading teacher education graduates is $31,000. Reading Teacher Education graduates of William Paterson University Of New Jersey earn a median of $58,854 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rowan University earned it the #5 place for reading teacher education. Located in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $16,574 in tuition and fees, compared with $26,932 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Reading Teacher Education graduates of Rowan University earn a median of $56,365 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Rutgers University New Brunswick ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value reading teacher education schools. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,929, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Reading Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $25,120 in student loans. Soon after graduation, reading teacher education degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick generally make around $61,146. That is a strong return on a $25,120 median debt. Rutgers University New Brunswick admits about 58% of applicants.
Rider University landed the #7 spot for reading teacher education value this year. Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lawrenceville. Students from in state pay about $41,120 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Reading Teacher Education graduates of Rider University earn a median of $52,940 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
The College Of New Jersey came in at #8 for value in reading teacher education this year. Located in the suburb of Ewing, The College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $19,632 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,752 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the reading teacher education program here. Reading Teacher Education graduates of The College Of New Jersey earn a median of $60,604 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The College Of New Jersey admits about 62% of applicants.
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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 · 12 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.
