2026 Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools in New Jersey
[Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/kindergarten-preschool-education-and-teaching/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools.
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2026 Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools in New Jersey
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools
For return on investment in kindergarten/preschool education & teaching, no school beat Essex County College this year. Set in the city of Newark, Essex County College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,415, with out-of-state students paying around $9,523. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates carry a median of $12,472 in student loans. Soon after graduation, kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degree recipients from Essex County College generally make around $23,768. Set against $12,472 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Raritan Valley Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools. Set in the rural area of Branchburg, Raritan Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,664, compared with $7,584 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching graduates is $11,400. Early-career kindergarten/preschool education & teaching graduates make about $47,248. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
County College Of Morris came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools. Set in the suburb of Randolph, County College Of Morris is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,210, with out-of-state students paying around $14,310. Typical student debt for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching graduates is $9,420. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of County College Of Morris earn a median of $30,966 early in their careers. Set against $9,420 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at New Jersey City University earned it the #4 place for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching. Located in the city of Jersey City, New Jersey City University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,460. Students borrow a median of $22,107 to complete the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program here. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of New Jersey City University earn a median of $74,837 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,107 median debt. New Jersey City University admits about 98% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kean University earned it the #5 place for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching. Set in the suburb of Union, Kean University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,299, with out-of-state students paying around $22,446. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program here. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Kean University earn a median of $60,910 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kean University admits about 76% of applicants.
The College Of New Jersey ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools. Set in the suburb of Ewing, The College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $19,632 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,752. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degree recipients from The College Of New Jersey generally make around $56,617. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
