[Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education & Teaching](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/junior-high-intermediate-middle-school-education-and-teaching/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching schools.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching, no school beat University Of South Florida Main Campus this year. Located in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,410, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Typical student debt for junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching graduates is $20,995. Soon after graduation, junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching degree recipients from University Of South Florida Main Campus generally make around $52,885. Set against $20,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Florida Main Campus admits about 43% of applicants.
University Of North Florida came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching schools. Located in the city of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,964, compared with $19,407 for out-of-state students. Junior High/intermediate/middle School Education & Teaching graduates carry a median of $19,097 in student loans. Soon after graduation, junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching degree recipients from University Of North Florida generally make around $48,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 53% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Saint Leo University one of the best values for junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching. Set in the town of Saint Leo, Saint Leo University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,000. Students borrow a median of $23,937 to complete the junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching program here. Junior High/intermediate/middle School Education & Teaching graduates of Saint Leo University earn a median of $45,065 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,937 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.
