2026 Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools in Minnesota
[Earth Science Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/earth-science-teacher-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for earth science teacher education students.
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2026 Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in earth science teacher education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Earth Science Teacher Education Schools
For return on investment in earth science teacher education, no school beat Saint Cloud State University this year. Set in the city of Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,245 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $30,795. Earth Science Teacher Education graduates of Saint Cloud State University earn a median of $51,625 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,795 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Minnesota State University Moorhead came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value earth science teacher education schools. Set in the suburb of Moorhead, Minnesota State University Moorhead is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,428. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $29,750. Early-career earth science teacher education graduates make about $44,850. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 59% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Winona State University one of the best values for earth science teacher education. Set in the town of Winona, Winona State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,576 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,308 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $26,762. Soon after graduation, earth science teacher education degree recipients from Winona State University generally make around $44,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Minnesota State University Mankato came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value earth science teacher education schools. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Typical student debt for earth science teacher education graduates is $26,082. Earth Science Teacher Education graduates of Minnesota State University Mankato earn a median of $53,463 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,082 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value earth science teacher education schools. University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,398. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the earth science teacher education program here. Early-career earth science teacher education graduates make about $65,183. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of St Thomas Minnesota admits about 85% of applicants.
More Earth Science Teacher Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 5 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.
