2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Connecticut

[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary education students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Connecticut
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
Leading the list is Western Connecticut State University, our #1 best value for secondary education in Connecticut. Located in the city of Danbury, Western Connecticut State University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,401, while out-of-state students pay about $16,901. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $21,000. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Western Connecticut State University generally make around $47,559. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Eastern Connecticut State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Willimantic, Eastern Connecticut State University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,928, with out-of-state students paying around $17,426. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $26,978. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Eastern Connecticut State University generally make around $48,624. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Eastern Connecticut State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in secondary education will find it at University Of Bridgeport, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Bridgeport, University Of Bridgeport is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,760. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $28,601. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $49,952. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Bridgeport admits about 83% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saint Joseph College earned it the #4 place for secondary education. Saint Joseph College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of West Hartford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $47,278. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $27,798. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $52,952. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Hartford earned it the #5 place for secondary education. Located in the city of West Hartford, University Of Hartford is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,075. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $25,648 in student loans. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $51,123. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Hartford admits about 96% of applicants.
Connecticut College landed the #6 spot for secondary education value this year. Located in the city of New London, Connecticut College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,242. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $23,807. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Connecticut College generally make around $43,936. Set against $23,807 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Connecticut College admits about 37% of applicants.
Quinnipiac University landed the #7 spot for secondary education value this year. Quinnipiac University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Hamden. In-state tuition and fees average $55,480. Students borrow a median of $25,926 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of Quinnipiac University earn a median of $51,985 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Quinnipiac University admits about 72% of applicants.
Fairfield University landed the #8 spot for secondary education value this year. Set in the suburb of Fairfield, Fairfield University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $58,400. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $26,687. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Fairfield University generally make around $48,256. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fairfield University admits about 33% of applicants.
More Secondary Education Rankings
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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 · 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.