2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Florida

[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary education students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
Florida Atlantic University tops our 2026 list of the best value secondary education schools in Florida. Florida Atlantic University is a very large public school located in the city of Boca Raton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,879, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,661 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of Florida Atlantic University earn a median of $50,178 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,661 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida Gulf Coast University earned it the #2 place for secondary education. Located in the suburb of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,118 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,162 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,489 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of Florida Gulf Coast University earn a median of $50,951 early in their careers. Set against $19,489 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Florida one of the best values for secondary education. Located in the city of Jacksonville, University Of North Florida is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,964, while out-of-state students pay about $19,407. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $19,097 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of University Of North Florida earn a median of $48,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,097 median debt. The acceptance rate is 53%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Central Florida one of the best values for secondary education. University Of Central Florida is a very large public school located in the suburb of Orlando. Students from in state pay about $6,368 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,467. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from University Of Central Florida generally make around $50,686. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 40% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in secondary education will find it at Florida State University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,517, compared with $21,683 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $19,349. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Florida State University generally make around $45,696. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University came in at #6 for value in secondary education this year. Located in the city of Tallahassee, Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,785, compared with $17,725 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,824 to complete the secondary education program here. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $50,736. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 21% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Leo University earned the #7 position for value in secondary education this year. Saint Leo University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the town of Saint Leo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,000. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $23,937. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Saint Leo University generally make around $49,458. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tampa earned the #8 position for value in secondary education this year. The University Of Tampa is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tampa. Students from in state pay about $34,408 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from The University Of Tampa generally make around $50,477. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Tampa admits about 40% of applicants.
More Secondary Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.