2026 Best Value Teacher Education Schools in Oregon
[Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/teacher-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for teacher education students.
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2026 Best Value Teacher Education Schools in Oregon
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in teacher education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Teacher Education Schools
Eastern Oregon University earned the #1 spot for value among teacher education schools in Oregon. Located in the town of La Grande, Eastern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,184, compared with $24,729 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for teacher education graduates is $27,000. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $48,893. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Eastern Oregon University admits about 98% of applicants.
Southern Oregon University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value teacher education schools. Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Ashland. Students from in state pay about $12,762 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,887. Students borrow a median of $28,906 to complete the teacher education program here. Soon after graduation, teacher education degree recipients from Southern Oregon University generally make around $47,690. Set against $28,906 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Western Oregon University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in teacher education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Monmouth, Western Oregon University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,514, with out-of-state students paying around $32,169. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $25,458 in student loans. Teacher Education graduates of Western Oregon University earn a median of $39,436 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Oregon earned it the #4 place for teacher education. Set in the city of Eugene, University Of Oregon is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,320, while out-of-state students pay about $42,516. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $22,034 in student loans. Teacher Education graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $48,790 early in their careers. Set against $22,034 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwest Christian University earned it the #5 place for teacher education. Located in the city of Eugene, Northwest Christian University is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,800. Students borrow a median of $25,735 to complete the teacher education program here. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $62,860. Set against $25,735 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
George Fox University landed the #6 spot for teacher education value this year. Located in the town of Newberg, George Fox University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,320. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the teacher education program here. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $43,079. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Pacific University came in at #7 for value in teacher education this year. Pacific University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Forest Grove. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,374. Typical student debt for teacher education graduates is $26,170. Soon after graduation, teacher education degree recipients from Pacific University generally make around $49,375. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
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 4 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.
