2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in New Jersey
[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong secondary education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary education students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in New Jersey
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the secondary education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
William Paterson University Of New Jersey earned the #1 spot for value among secondary education schools in New Jersey. Set in the suburb of Wayne, William Paterson University Of New Jersey is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,704, with out-of-state students paying around $25,344. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $24,671 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from William Paterson University Of New Jersey generally make around $59,208. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. William Paterson University Of New Jersey admits about 90% of applicants.
Caldwell College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Caldwell, Caldwell College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $40,848. Students borrow a median of $26,188 to complete the secondary education program here. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $48,946. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Caldwell College admits about 71% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rider University earned it the #3 place for secondary education. Set in the suburb of Lawrenceville, Rider University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,120. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $26,466 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of Rider University earn a median of $57,818 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,466 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The College Of New Jersey earned it the #4 place for secondary education. The College Of New Jersey is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Ewing. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,632, compared with $25,752 for out-of-state students. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $58,526. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
Seton Hall University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of South Orange, Seton Hall University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,170. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Seton Hall University generally make around $56,300. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Seton Hall University admits about 73% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
