2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Value](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/stem-educational-methods/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Cuny Hunter College tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,382, with out-of-state students paying around $15,332. Value graduates carry a median of $10,500 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $51,372. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny Hunter College admits about 54% of applicants.
Suny Empire State College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the suburb of Saratoga Springs, Suny Empire State College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,648 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,558 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,693 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $62,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Mercy College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Mercy College is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dobbs Ferry. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $22,880. Typical student debt for value graduates is $28,304. Early-career value graduates make about $63,434. That is a strong return on a $28,304 median debt. Mercy College admits about 86% of applicants.
Pennsylvania Western University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the town of California, Pennsylvania Western University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,436 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,054 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $47,295 ten years out. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arcadia University earned it the #5 place for value. Located in the suburb of Glenside, Arcadia University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $49,610. Value graduates carry a median of $26,921 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Arcadia University generally make around $54,496. Set against $26,921 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Arcadia University admits about 80% of applicants.
Elizabethtown College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Set in the suburb of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,950. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Elizabethtown College earn a median of $57,397 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Elizabethtown College admits about 78% of applicants.
Messiah College placed #7 among the best values for value. Set in the suburb of Mechanicsburg, Messiah College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,240. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $48,957. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Lebanon Valley College came in at #8 for value in value this year. Located in the suburb of Annville, Lebanon Valley College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,080. Typical student debt for value graduates is $27,000. Value graduates of Lebanon Valley College earn a median of $51,300 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Lebanon Valley College admits about 84% of applicants.
Hofstra University landed the #9 spot for value value this year. Located in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $57,660. Typical student debt for value graduates is $25,359. Value graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of $39,556 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
