[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 schools below stand out for delivering a strong junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 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 James Madison University this year. James Madison University is a very large public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. In-state tuition and fees average $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching graduates is $21,218. Early-career junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching graduates make about $52,997. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. James Madison University admits about 72% of applicants.
Liberty University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Typical student debt for junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching graduates is $29,249. Soon after graduation, junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching degree recipients from Liberty University generally make around $32,945. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Liberty University admits about 99% of applicants.
Shenandoah University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching schools. Located in the city of Winchester, Shenandoah University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $36,950 in tuition and fees. Junior High/intermediate/middle School Education & Teaching graduates carry a median of $26,005 in student loans. Soon after graduation, junior high/intermediate/middle school education & teaching degree recipients from Shenandoah University generally make around $62,948. Set against $26,005 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 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.
