by our College Data Analytics Team
[Early Childhood Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/early-childhood-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong early childhood education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for early childhood education students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the early childhood education degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in early childhood education, no school beat Fort Peck Community College this year. Fort Peck Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Poplar. Students from in state pay about $2,250 in tuition and fees. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $14,747.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Salish Kootenai College earned it the #2 place for early childhood education. Set in the rural area of Pablo, Salish Kootenai College is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,311, with out-of-state students paying around $11,583. Early Childhood Education graduates of Salish Kootenai College earn a median of $52,607 early in their careers.
A rank of #3 makes The University Of Montana Western one of the best values for early childhood education. The University Of Montana Western is a small public school located in the town of Dillon. Students from in state pay about $6,669 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,130 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,269 to complete the early childhood education program here. Early-career early childhood education graduates make about $36,742. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Montana Western admits about 100% of applicants.
The University Of Montana came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value early childhood education schools. Located in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, with out-of-state students paying around $33,671. Students borrow a median of $24,880 to complete the early childhood education program here. Early-career early childhood education graduates make about $39,078. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Montana admits about 96% of applicants.
Montana State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value early childhood education schools. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, while out-of-state students pay about $33,287. Early Childhood Education graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career early childhood education graduates make about $37,501. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Montana State University admits about 82% of applicants.
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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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.