[School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/school-librarian-school-library-media-specialist/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for school librarian/school library media specialist students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the school librarian/school library media specialist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Cuny Queens College tops our 2027 list of the best value school librarian/school library media specialist schools in New York. Set in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,538 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,488 for out-of-state students. School Librarian/school Library Media Specialist graduates carry a median of $16,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, school librarian/school library media specialist degree recipients from Cuny Queens College generally make around $67,212. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
A rank of #2 makes Suny At Albany one of the best values for school librarian/school library media specialist. Set in the city of Albany, Suny At Albany is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,601, with out-of-state students paying around $30,991. School Librarian/school Library Media Specialist graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Early-career school librarian/school library media specialist graduates make about $54,318. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University At Buffalo earned it the #3 place for school librarian/school library media specialist. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. School Librarian/school Library Media Specialist graduates carry a median of $22,232 in student loans. Early-career school librarian/school library media specialist graduates make about $50,041. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Saint John Fisher College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in school librarian/school library media specialist, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Rochester, Saint John Fisher College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $41,190 in tuition and fees. School Librarian/school Library Media Specialist graduates carry a median of $25,086 in student loans. Early-career school librarian/school library media specialist graduates make about $57,001. Set against $25,086 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.
Syracuse University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in school librarian/school library media specialist, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for school librarian/school library media specialist graduates is $26,664. Soon after graduation, school librarian/school library media specialist degree recipients from Syracuse University generally make around $53,557. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
More School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist Rankings
View All School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 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.
