2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Colorado

[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong secondary education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for secondary education students.
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2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in Colorado
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the secondary education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
For return on investment in secondary education, no school beat University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs this year. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,906, while out-of-state students pay about $25,039. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $25,040. Secondary Education graduates of University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs earn a median of $40,198 early in their careers. Set against $25,040 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
University Of Northern Colorado is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Northern Colorado is a large public school located in the city of Greeley. Students from in state pay about $11,901 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,979. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $25,906 in student loans. Secondary Education graduates of University Of Northern Colorado earn a median of $40,614 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Boulder earned it the #3 place for secondary education. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Students borrow a median of $20,373 to complete the secondary education program here. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $55,861. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Regis University earned it the #4 place for secondary education. Regis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $28,140. Secondary Education graduates carry a median of $31,773 in student loans. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $72,028. That is a strong return on a $31,773 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Colorado College one of the best values for secondary education. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,734. Students borrow a median of $17,921 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of Colorado College earn a median of $37,342 early in their careers. Set against $17,921 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado College admits about 18% of applicants.
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Notes and References
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 · 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.