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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best Early Childhood Education Schools in Indiana

7 Colleges in the United States
773 Early Childhood Education Degrees Awarded
$38,806 Avg Early-Career Salary

Early Childhood Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual analyzed 17 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best early childhood education schools.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Early Childhood Education in Indiana

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall early childhood education education in Indiana.

Top Schools in Early Childhood Education

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

Purdue University Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best early childhood education schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. About 83% of students finish within six years. Purdue University Main Campus awarded about 19 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $45,459 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $18,646 to complete this degree. Read more about the early childhood education program at Purdue University Main Campus

2

Students looking for a strong early childhood education program will find one at Ball State University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. Ball State University awarded about 29 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Ball State University generally make around $48,051. Typical student debt for the program is $24,655. Read more about the early childhood education program at Ball State University

3

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best early childhood education schools. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 54%. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis awarded about 15 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn around $48,443 in the first couple years of their career. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. See the full early childhood education program report for Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis

4

Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best early childhood education schools. Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Marion. Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global awarded about 84 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the early childhood education program make about $32,421 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,823. See the full early childhood education program report for Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global

5
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN

Ivy Tech Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in early childhood education, ranking #5. This very large public university is located in the city of Indianapolis. There were roughly 552 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at Ivy Tech Community College in the most recent data year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $26,301 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,948 to complete this degree. Get the full early childhood education details for Ivy Tech Community College

6
Purdue University Global crest
Purdue University Global
West Lafayette, IN

Purdue University Global came in at #6 for early childhood education this year. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Global is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 33%. There were roughly 74 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at Purdue University Global in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Purdue University Global generally make around $32,164. Students borrow a median of $57,500 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in early childhood education from Purdue University Global

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 17 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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