2027 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Arkansas

[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value secondary education schools.
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2027 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Arkansas
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 Arkansas Tech University, our #1 best value for secondary education in Arkansas. Arkansas Tech University is a large public school located in the town of Russellville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,674, with out-of-state students paying around $14,668. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $24,351 in student loans. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $45,115. Set against $24,351 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in secondary education will find it at University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Pine Bluff, University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,375 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,955 for out-of-state students. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $26,267 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff earn a median of $35,490 early in their careers. Set against $26,267 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff admits about 41% of applicants.
Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Main Campus is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,960, with out-of-state students paying around $15,690. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $16,316. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $41,723. Set against $16,316 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arkansas At Monticello came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value secondary education schools. Set in the town of Monticello, University Of Arkansas At Monticello is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,292, while out-of-state students pay about $14,857. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $15,611 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from University Of Arkansas At Monticello generally make around $44,048. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a large public school located in the city of Little Rock. Students from in state pay about $9,911 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,721. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earn a median of $47,170 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Arkansas At Little Rock admits about 59% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas came in at #6 for value in secondary education this year. Located in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,104, with out-of-state students paying around $29,966. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $26,141. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $49,641. Set against $26,141 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arkansas admits about 74% of applicants.
Ouachita Baptist University came in at #7 for value in secondary education this year. Located in the town of Arkadelphia, Ouachita Baptist University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,500. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Ouachita Baptist University generally make around $41,595. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Henderson State University landed the #8 spot for secondary education value this year. Henderson State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Arkadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $8,244, with out-of-state students paying around $10,620. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of Henderson State University earn a median of $40,131 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.