2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in North Carolina
[Secondary Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/secondary-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for secondary education students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Secondary Education Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in secondary education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Secondary Education Schools
Our analysis ranked North Carolina A And T State University the best value for a degree in secondary education in North Carolina. Set in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Students borrow a median of $29,078 to complete the secondary education program here. Secondary Education graduates of North Carolina A And T State University earn a median of $48,447 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,078 median debt. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in secondary education will find it at Chowan University, which ranked #2. Set in the rural area of Murfreesboro, Chowan University is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $27,910. Students borrow a median of $32,131 to complete the secondary education program here. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Chowan University generally make around $30,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Mount Olive College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in secondary education, landing the #3 spot this year. Mount Olive College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Mount Olive. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,366. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $35,963. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Mount Olive College generally make around $45,131. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of North Carolina At Wilmington one of the best values for secondary education. Located in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Students borrow a median of $20,130 to complete the secondary education program here. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $46,164. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College one of the best values for secondary education. Set in the rural area of Wendell, Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,739.
Lenoir Rhyne University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value secondary education schools. Located in the city of Hickory, Lenoir Rhyne University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $31,900. Typical student debt for secondary education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, secondary education degree recipients from Lenoir Rhyne University generally make around $42,723. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Wake Forest University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value secondary education schools. Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winston-Salem. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,642. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the secondary education program here. Early-career secondary education graduates make about $67,369. That is a strong return on a $21,577 median debt. The acceptance rate is 22%.
More Secondary Education Rankings
View All Secondary Education Rankings >
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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
