2026 Best Value Elementary Education Schools in West Virginia
[Elementary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/elementary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value elementary education schools.
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2026 Best Value Elementary Education Schools in West Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the elementary education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Elementary Education Schools
West Virginia University At Parkersburg tops our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools in West Virginia. Located in the rural area of Parkersburg, West Virginia University At Parkersburg is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,476, with out-of-state students paying around $9,424. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $11,182. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from West Virginia University At Parkersburg generally make around $35,543. Set against $11,182 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in elementary education will find it at Marshall University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Huntington, Marshall University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,162, while out-of-state students pay about $20,342. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $25,886. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $41,584. Set against $25,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Marshall University admits about 96% of applicants.
Concord University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Set in the rural area of Athens, Concord University is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,664, while out-of-state students pay about $22,000. Students borrow a median of $20,209 to complete the elementary education program here. Elementary Education graduates of Concord University earn a median of $42,081 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,209 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Shepherd University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Located in the rural area of Shepherdstown, Shepherd University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,056 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,082. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $46,549. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Shepherd University admits about 97% of applicants.
West Virginia State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Located in the suburb of Institute, West Virginia State University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,570, while out-of-state students pay about $14,990. Students borrow a median of $26,932 to complete the elementary education program here. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from West Virginia State University generally make around $42,197. Set against $26,932 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Bluefield State College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Bluefield State College is a small public school located in the town of Bluefield. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,648, while out-of-state students pay about $18,376. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $24,791 in student loans. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Bluefield State College generally make around $46,103. Set against $24,791 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 97%.
West Virginia University came in at #7 for value in elementary education this year. Located in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,104 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,608. Students borrow a median of $24,621 to complete the elementary education program here. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $41,214. Set against $24,621 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
West Liberty University placed #8 among the best values for elementary education. West Liberty University is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of West Liberty. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,893, compared with $17,442 for out-of-state students. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $26,139 in student loans. Elementary Education graduates of West Liberty University earn a median of $44,966 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
More Elementary Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
