2026 Best Value Child development Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the child development degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Child development Schools
Our analysis ranked Skagit Valley College the best value for a degree in child development in Washington. Set in the city of Mount Vernon, Skagit Valley College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,400 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $14,056. Early-career child development graduates make about $44,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Whatcom Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value child development schools. Located in the city of Bellingham, Whatcom Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,296, while out-of-state students pay about $11,435. Students borrow a median of $16,588 to complete the child development program here. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from Whatcom Community College generally make around $51,466. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in child development will find it at Eastern Washington University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $19,936. Child Development graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $28,589 early in their careers. Set against $19,936 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Washington State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value child development schools. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,391, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Students borrow a median of $24,019 to complete the child development program here. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from Washington State University generally make around $39,880. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 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.
[Child development](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/child-development/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong child development education at a price that pays off.
