2026 Best Value History Education Schools in the New England Region

[History Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/history-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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for history education students.
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2026 Best Value History Education Schools in the New England Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the history education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value History Education Schools
Rhode Island College earned the #1 spot for value among history education schools in the New England Region. Located in the suburb of Providence, Rhode Island College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,300 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,299. Typical student debt for history education graduates is $29,659. Early-career history education graduates make about $51,124. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rhode Island College admits about 92% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Bridgewater State University one of the best values for history education. Bridgewater State University is a large public school located in the suburb of Bridgewater. In-state tuition and fees average $11,734, while out-of-state students pay about $17,874. History Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. History Education graduates of Bridgewater State University earn a median of $48,072 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in history education will find it at Salem State University, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Salem, Salem State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,338, while out-of-state students pay about $19,531. History Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. History Education graduates of Salem State University earn a median of $59,390 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Salem State University admits about 96% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Connecticut earned it the #4 place for history education. University Of Connecticut is a very large public school located in the town of Storrs. In-state tuition and fees average $21,044, compared with $43,712 for out-of-state students. History Education graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career history education graduates make about $25,777. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Gordon College earned it the #5 place for history education. Located in the rural area of Wenham, Gordon College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,700. Students borrow a median of $26,372 to complete the history education program here. History Education graduates of Gordon College earn a median of $59,407 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,372 median debt. Gordon College admits about 69% of applicants.
Lesley University placed #6 among the best values for history education. Located in the city of Cambridge, Lesley University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,256. Students borrow a median of $24,818 to complete the history education program here. History Education graduates of Lesley University earn a median of $62,468 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lesley University admits about 97% of applicants.
Merrimack College landed the #7 spot for history education value this year. Located in the suburb of North Andover, Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,962 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,913 to complete the history education program here. Soon after graduation, history education degree recipients from Merrimack College generally make around $50,506. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Merrimack College admits about 70% of applicants.
Boston College landed the #8 spot for history education value this year. Boston College is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chestnut Hill. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,702. History Education graduates carry a median of $18,101 in student loans. Early-career history education graduates make about $60,505. That is a strong return on a $18,101 median debt. Boston College admits about 16% of applicants.
Providence College came in at #9 for value in history education this year. Located in the city of Providence, Providence College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $63,550. Students borrow a median of $26,833 to complete the history education program here. History Education graduates of Providence College earn a median of $57,343 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Providence College admits about 51% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 15 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.