2027 Best Value Early Childhood Education Schools in Nebraska
[Early Childhood Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/early-childhood-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong early childhood education education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value early childhood education schools.
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2027 Best Value Early Childhood Education Schools in Nebraska
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in early childhood education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Early Childhood Education Schools
Western Nebraska Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value early childhood education schools in Nebraska. Located in the town of Scottsbluff, Western Nebraska Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $3,840 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $4,410. Early Childhood Education graduates carry a median of $14,507 in student loans. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Western Nebraska Community College generally make around $62,413. Set against $14,507 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in early childhood education will find it at Northeast Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Norfolk, Northeast Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $3,840, while out-of-state students pay about $5,130. Early Childhood Education graduates carry a median of $11,799 in student loans. Early-career early childhood education graduates make about $24,710. That is a strong return on a $11,799 median debt.
Peru State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in early childhood education, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Peru, Peru State College is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,433. Typical student debt for early childhood education graduates is $26,117. Early Childhood Education graduates of Peru State College earn a median of $37,072 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Chadron State College one of the best values for early childhood education. Set in the town of Chadron, Chadron State College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,294. Early Childhood Education graduates carry a median of $21,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Chadron State College generally make around $47,254. Set against $21,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wayne State College earned it the #5 place for early childhood education. Set in the town of Wayne, Wayne State College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,171 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for early childhood education graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Wayne State College generally make around $41,322. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Bellevue University placed #6 among the best values for early childhood education. Located in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,873. Typical student debt for early childhood education graduates is $27,852. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Bellevue University generally make around $61,548. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Concordia University Seward earned the #7 position for value in early childhood education this year. Set in the town of Seward, Concordia University Seward is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,640. Early Childhood Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early Childhood Education graduates of Concordia University Seward earn a median of $47,667 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Creighton University landed the #8 spot for early childhood education value this year. Creighton University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Omaha. In-state tuition and fees average $48,856. Students borrow a median of $25,831 to complete the early childhood education program here. Early-career early childhood education graduates make about $64,369. That is a strong return on a $25,831 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
More Early Childhood Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
