2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Indiana

[Child Development & Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for child development & psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Indiana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the child development & psychology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools
Leading the list is Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, our #1 best value for child development & psychology in Indiana. Set in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Child Development & Psychology graduates carry a median of $20,487 in student loans. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $32,031. Set against $20,487 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Purdue University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology, landing the #2 spot this year. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Typical student debt for child development & psychology graduates is $19,500. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $31,172 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Indiana University Bloomington one of the best values for child development & psychology. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Child Development & Psychology graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $31,129. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Ball State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,082, compared with $29,630 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,518 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $47,863. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Wabash College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Crawfordsville, Wabash College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $50,800. Child Development & Psychology graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $40,138. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Earlham College placed #6 among the best values for child development & psychology. Located in the town of Richmond, Earlham College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,930 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for child development & psychology graduates is $23,250. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Earlham College generally make around $43,038. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.