2026 Best Value Teacher Education Schools in Georgia

[Teacher Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/teacher-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 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for teacher education students.
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2026 Best Value Teacher Education Schools in Georgia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in teacher education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Teacher Education Schools
Leading the list is Middle Georgia State University, our #1 best value for teacher education in Georgia. Set in the city of Macon, Middle Georgia State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,038, with out-of-state students paying around $16,390. Students borrow a median of $23,125 to complete the teacher education program here. Soon after graduation, teacher education degree recipients from Middle Georgia State University generally make around $41,634. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
University Of West Georgia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in teacher education, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of West Georgia is a large public school located in the town of Carrollton. Students from in state pay about $6,088 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,800 for out-of-state students. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $25,217 in student loans. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $50,204. Set against $25,217 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of West Georgia admits about 52% of applicants.
Georgia Southern University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value teacher education schools. Georgia Southern University is a very large public school located in the town of Statesboro. In-state tuition and fees average $6,022, compared with $17,734 for out-of-state students. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $26,750 in student loans. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $47,263. That is a strong return on a $26,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Kennesaw State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in teacher education, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Kennesaw, Kennesaw State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,808, compared with $17,736 for out-of-state students. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, teacher education degree recipients from Kennesaw State University generally make around $63,630. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in teacher education will find it at Lagrange College, which ranked #5. Lagrange College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lagrange. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,400. Typical student debt for teacher education graduates is $27,000. Teacher Education graduates of Lagrange College earn a median of $52,126 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Mercer University placed #6 among the best values for teacher education. Located in the city of Macon, Mercer University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $31,565. Teacher Education graduates carry a median of $47,750 in student loans. Teacher Education graduates of Mercer University earn a median of $53,846 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $47,750 median debt. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Spelman College came in at #7 for value in teacher education this year. Located in the city of Atlanta, Spelman College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $31,556 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for teacher education graduates is $27,000. Early-career teacher education graduates make about $40,217. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Spelman College admits about 25% of applicants.
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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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.