2026 Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Secondary School Administration/Principalship](/majors/education/educational-administration/secondary-school-administration-principalship/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong secondary school administration/principalship education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary school administration/principalship students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary school administration/principalship, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary School Administration/Principalship Schools
Our analysis ranked Eastern Michigan University the best value for a degree in secondary school administration/principalship in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,990 in tuition and fees. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates carry a median of $28,781 in student loans. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates of Eastern Michigan University earn a median of $47,887 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in secondary school administration/principalship will find it at Western Michigan University, which ranked #2. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,981 to complete the secondary school administration/principalship program here. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $75,270 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,981 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Illinois State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary school administration/principalship, landing the #3 spot this year. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Typical student debt for secondary school administration/principalship graduates is $21,896. Early-career secondary school administration/principalship graduates make about $49,660. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Cincinnati Main Campus one of the best values for secondary school administration/principalship. Set in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Typical student debt for secondary school administration/principalship graduates is $23,530. Soon after graduation, secondary school administration/principalship degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $64,406. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in secondary school administration/principalship will find it at Mckendree University, which ranked #5. Mckendree University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lebanon. Students from in state pay about $34,740 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,362 to complete the secondary school administration/principalship program here. Early-career secondary school administration/principalship graduates make about $57,251. Set against $24,362 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton placed #6 among the best values for secondary school administration/principalship. Set in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the secondary school administration/principalship program here. Secondary School Administration/principalship graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $54,726 early in their careers. Set against $25,033 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 65% 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 · 6 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.
