2026 Best Value Elementary Education Schools in Washington
[Elementary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/elementary-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong elementary education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 24 schools to find the best return on investment for elementary education students.
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2026 Best Value Elementary Education Schools in Washington
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in elementary education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Elementary Education Schools
Lake Washington Institute Of Technology earned the #1 spot for value among elementary education schools in Washington. Lake Washington Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Kirkland. Students from in state pay about $5,997 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,062. Students borrow a median of $19,695 to complete the elementary education program here. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $60,000. Set against $19,695 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in elementary education will find it at Renton Technical College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Renton, Renton Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,330 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,768 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $18,582. Elementary Education graduates of Renton Technical College earn a median of $80,411 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,582 median debt.
Olympic College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in elementary education, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Bremerton, Olympic College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,472 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,740. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $11,497 in student loans. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Olympic College generally make around $57,593. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in elementary education will find it at University Of Washington Tacoma Campus, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Tacoma, University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,168, compared with $43,404 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $16,151. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $72,769. Set against $16,151 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Clark College one of the best values for elementary education. Located in the city of Vancouver, Clark College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,233, compared with $11,183 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,432 to complete the elementary education program here. Elementary Education graduates of Clark College earn a median of $28,118 early in their careers. Set against $15,432 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Heritage University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Located in the rural area of Toppenish, Heritage University is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $20,928 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $20,049 to complete the elementary education program here. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $51,116. Set against $20,049 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Eastern Washington University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value elementary education schools. Eastern Washington University is a large public school located in the town of Cheney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,586, with out-of-state students paying around $26,583. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $20,885. Elementary Education graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $33,028 early in their careers. Set against $20,885 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus landed the #8 spot for elementary education value this year. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,973 in tuition and fees, compared with $43,209 for out-of-state students. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $17,342 in student loans. Elementary Education graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $53,957 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 39%.
Edmonds Community College earned the #9 position for value in elementary education this year. Set in the suburb of Lynnwood, Edmonds Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,810, with out-of-state students paying around $10,875. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $16,025. Elementary Education graduates of Edmonds Community College earn a median of $35,618 early in their careers. Set against $16,025 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Washington State University earned the #10 position for value in elementary education this year. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,391 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Elementary Education graduates carry a median of $22,960 in student loans. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $54,794. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Central Washington University earned the #11 position for value in elementary education this year. Central Washington University is a very large public school located in the town of Ellensburg. Students from in state pay about $9,417 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,526. Students borrow a median of $20,353 to complete the elementary education program here. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Central Washington University generally make around $48,850. Set against $20,353 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Western Washington University earned the #12 position for value in elementary education this year. Located in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,582, while out-of-state students pay about $28,707. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $22,000. Early-career elementary education graduates make about $58,418. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Pacific Lutheran University placed #13 among the best values for elementary education. Set in the suburb of Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,916. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $19,500. Elementary Education graduates of Pacific Lutheran University earn a median of $66,226 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Martins University placed #14 among the best values for elementary education. Saint Martins University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lacey. In-state tuition and fees average $45,510. Students borrow a median of $22,818 to complete the elementary education program here. Elementary Education graduates of Saint Martins University earn a median of $53,633 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Walla Walla University came in at #15 for value in elementary education this year. Set in the suburb of College Place, Walla Walla University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,227. Students borrow a median of $29,249 to complete the elementary education program here. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Walla Walla University generally make around $55,427. That is a strong return on a $29,249 median debt.
Whitworth University came in at #16 for value in elementary education this year. Located in the suburb of Spokane, Whitworth University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $52,880. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Whitworth University generally make around $51,174. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Seattle University earned the #17 position for value in elementary education this year. Located in the city of Seattle, Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,721. Students borrow a median of $22,289 to complete the elementary education program here. Soon after graduation, elementary education degree recipients from Seattle University generally make around $63,214. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
City University Of Seattle came in at #18 for value in elementary education this year. City University Of Seattle is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,929. Typical student debt for elementary education graduates is $18,000. Elementary Education graduates of City University Of Seattle earn a median of $59,620 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,000 median debt.
More Elementary Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 24 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
