2026 Best Value Other Education Schools in California
[Other Education](/majors/education/other-education/education-other/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 25 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for other education students.
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2026 Best Value Other Education Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Other Education Schools
For return on investment in other education, no school beat Foothill College this year. Located in the suburb of Los Altos Hills, Foothill College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $1,565 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,590. Other Education graduates carry a median of $11,595 in student loans. Other Education graduates of Foothill College earn a median of $94,152 early in their careers. Set against $11,595 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
California State University Channel Islands came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value other education schools. Set in the rural area of Camarillo, California State University Channel Islands is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,159, while out-of-state students pay about $19,759. Other Education graduates carry a median of $14,000 in student loans. Other Education graduates of California State University Channel Islands earn a median of $34,646 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Berkeley City College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value other education schools. Berkeley City College is a large public school located in the city of Berkeley. Students from in state pay about $1,258 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,898. Graduates go on to earn a median of $41,217 ten years after entry.
California State Polytechnic University Pomona came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value other education schools. Located in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,781, with out-of-state students paying around $20,381. Students borrow a median of $12,200 to complete the other education program here. Soon after graduation, other education degree recipients from California State Polytechnic University Pomona generally make around $31,250. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
College Of The Desert came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value other education schools. Set in the city of Palm Desert, College Of The Desert is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $1,326, while out-of-state students pay about $10,174. Other Education graduates carry a median of $7,826 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other education degree recipients from College Of The Desert generally make around $41,295. That is a strong return on a $7,826 median debt.
Sonoma State University earned the #6 position for value in other education this year. Sonoma State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Rohnert Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,624, with out-of-state students paying around $21,224. Typical student debt for other education graduates is $17,305. Early-career other education graduates make about $31,095. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Sonoma State University admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of San Diego came in at #7 for value in other education this year. Located in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $59,486 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,795 to complete the other education program here. Early-career other education graduates make about $68,281. Set against $23,795 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Southern California placed #8 among the best values for other education. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for other education graduates is $15,625. Soon after graduation, other education degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $108,535. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
More Other Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 25 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
