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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Educational Assessment Schools in the Great Lakes Region

2 Colleges in the United States
$20,638 Avg Student Debt
$69,652 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Educational Assessment Badge [Educational Assessment](/majors/education/educational-assessment/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong educational assessment education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 29 schools to find the best return on investment for educational assessment students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Educational Assessment Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in educational assessment, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Educational Assessment Schools

1
Purdue University Main Campus crest
Purdue University Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN

For return on investment in educational assessment, no school beat Purdue University Main Campus this year. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete the educational assessment program here. Early-career educational assessment graduates make about $63,111. Set against $19,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.

2

University Of Illinois At Chicago came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value educational assessment schools. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Educational Assessment graduates carry a median of $20,115 in student loans. Soon after graduation, educational assessment degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $61,829. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.

3

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned it the #3 place for educational assessment. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Typical student debt for educational assessment graduates is $20,778. Soon after graduation, educational assessment degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.

4

Students looking for strong value in educational assessment will find it at Indiana University Bloomington, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,144, compared with $41,891 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for educational assessment graduates is $20,542. Early-career educational assessment graduates make about $52,123. Set against $20,542 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.

5

Ball State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in educational assessment, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,082, with out-of-state students paying around $29,630. Typical student debt for educational assessment graduates is $24,518. Educational Assessment graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $47,863 early in their careers. Set against $24,518 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ball State University admits about 86% of applicants.

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6

Ohio State University Main Campus placed #6 among the best values for educational assessment. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, while out-of-state students pay about $40,022. Typical student debt for educational assessment graduates is $22,053. Soon after graduation, educational assessment degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $58,088. Set against $22,053 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.

7

Northwestern University earned the #7 position for value in educational assessment this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for educational assessment graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, educational assessment degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $78,551. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 29 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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