2026 Best Value Adult & Continuing Education Schools in the New England Region
[Adult & Continuing Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/adult-continuing-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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for adult & continuing education students.
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2026 Best Value Adult & Continuing Education Schools in the New England Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in adult & continuing education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Adult & Continuing Education Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Southern Maine the best value for a degree in adult & continuing education in the New England Region. University Of Southern Maine is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Portland. Students from in state pay about $12,090 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,940 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,593 to complete the adult & continuing education program here. Adult & Continuing Education graduates of University Of Southern Maine earn a median of $47,549 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Southern Maine admits about 79% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in adult & continuing education will find it at University Of Rhode Island, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Kingston, University Of Rhode Island is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,942, with out-of-state students paying around $37,146. Adult & Continuing Education graduates carry a median of $24,026 in student loans. Adult & Continuing Education graduates of University Of Rhode Island earn a median of $44,363 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Students looking for strong value in adult & continuing education will find it at University Of Connecticut, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Storrs, University Of Connecticut is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $21,044 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for adult & continuing education graduates is $25,081. Early-career adult & continuing education graduates make about $58,784. That is a strong return on a $25,081 median debt. University Of Connecticut admits about 52% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 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.
