2026 Best Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 24 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching in the Great Lakes Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching
Eastern Illinois University tops our 2026 ranking of the best kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools. This large public university is located in the town of Charleston. The six-year graduation rate is 47%. There were roughly 28 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching students who graduated with this degree at Eastern Illinois University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degree recipients from Eastern Illinois University generally make around $41,582. Typical student debt for the program is $22,075.
Read more about the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program at Eastern Illinois University
Students looking for a strong kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program will find one at University Of Cincinnati Main Campus, which ranked #2. This very large public university is located in the city of Cincinnati. Roughly 74% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus awarded about 79 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees in the most recent data year. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earn a median of $34,737 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,313.
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Bowling Green State University Firelands came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools. Located in the rural area of Huron, Bowling Green State University Firelands is a mid-sized public university. There were roughly 54 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching students who graduated with this degree at Bowling Green State University Firelands in the most recent data year. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Bowling Green State University Firelands earn a median of $45,610 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $13,090.
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Students looking for a strong kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program will find one at University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College, which ranked #4. This large public university is located in the suburb of Blue Ash. There were roughly 11 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching students who graduated with this degree at University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program make about $29,867 in their early career. University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans.
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Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in kindergarten/preschool education & teaching, ranking #5. Set in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public institution. About 36% of students finish within six years. About 17 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees were awarded at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne in the most recent year. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earn a median of $41,090 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,834 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in kindergarten/preschool education & teaching from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne
Sinclair Community College earned the #6 position for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Dayton. About 14 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees were awarded at Sinclair Community College in the most recent year. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Sinclair Community College earn a median of $24,950 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $12,129.
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Oakland Community College came in at #7 for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching this year. Located in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public university. About 15 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees were awarded at Oakland Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degree from Oakland Community College earn around $43,205 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,865 to complete this degree.
See the full kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program report for Oakland Community College
Shawnee State University landed the #8 spot for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching this year. Shawnee State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Portsmouth. About 54% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching students who graduated with this degree at Shawnee State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program make about $42,878 in their early career. Shawnee State University graduates carry a median of $25,233 in student loans.
See the full kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program report for Shawnee State University
Kent State University At Tuscarawas landed the #9 spot for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching this year. Located in the town of New Philadelphia, Kent State University At Tuscarawas is a mid-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 4%. Kent State University At Tuscarawas awarded about 15 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degree recipients from Kent State University At Tuscarawas generally make around $25,808. Kent State University At Tuscarawas graduates carry a median of $21,637 in student loans.
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Kent State University At Salem landed the #10 spot for kindergarten/preschool education & teaching this year. Kent State University At Salem is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Salem. Roughly 2% of students complete a degree within six years here. Kent State University At Salem awarded about 11 kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees in the most recent data year. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Kent State University At Salem earn a median of $25,808 early in their careers. Kent State University At Salem graduates carry a median of $21,637 in student loans.
See the full kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program report for Kent State University At Salem
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 24 schools evaluated.
- 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.
