by our College Data Analytics Team
[Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/teacher-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong teacher education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for teacher education students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the teacher education degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in teacher education, no school beat Mary Baldwin College this year. Mary Baldwin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Staunton. In-state tuition and fees average $21,187. Typical student debt for teacher education graduates is $29,562. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $49,965. Set against $29,562 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Longwood University earned it the #2 place for teacher education. Located in the town of Farmville, Longwood University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,740, with out-of-state students paying around $27,980. Students borrow a median of $25,649 to complete the teacher education program here. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $43,800. That is a strong return on a $25,649 median debt. Longwood University admits about 90% of applicants.
Shenandoah University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value teacher education schools. Located in the city of Winchester, Shenandoah University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $36,950. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $26,005 in student loans. Teacher Education graduates of Shenandoah University earn a median of $62,948 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.