# Best Bachelor's in Education

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Bachelors
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-education

## Methodology

Bachelor's programs ranked by outcomes, mobility, and program concentration in Education

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Finding the right bachelor's program in education can shape the future for students and their communities. With a growing emphasis on quality education, prospective teachers are looking for programs that not only provide a solid foundation but also lead to strong career outcomes. The schools on this list stand out in their ability to prepare graduates for success in the field.

What sets these programs apart is their focus on key outcomes like earnings, graduation rates, and student debt. The data reveals that the best schools for education don’t just graduate students; they help them secure stable, well-paying jobs. As you explore this list, consider how each school’s metrics align with your own goals and values.

Take Vanderbilt University and Niagara University, for instance. Vanderbilt graduates earn an impressive $91,565, with a graduation rate of 93%. In contrast, Niagara graduates earn $56,196, with a graduation rate of 72%. This stark difference highlights the importance of not only choosing a school with a good program but also one that supports students in achieving their long-term career aspirations.

## Key Findings

- Vanderbilt University graduates earn $91,565, the highest in this ranking.
- CUNY Queens College has the lowest net price at just $4,195.
- The average graduation rate across these programs is 62%.
- Niagara University students face an average debt of $25,475.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Northern Iowa](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-northern-iowa) | Cedar Falls, IA | 68% | $55,177 | $15,901 | $19,691 | 0.36x |
| 2 | [Niagara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/niagara-university) | Niagara University, NY | 72% | $56,196 | $17,248 | $25,475 | 0.45x |
| 3 | [Valley City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/valley-city-state-university) | Valley City, ND | 51% | $52,725 | $11,890 | $20,369 | 0.39x |
| 4 | [Mayville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mayville-state-university) | Mayville, ND | 40% | $47,828 | $11,456 | $18,585 | 0.39x |
| 5 | [SUNY College at Geneseo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-college-at-geneseo) | Geneseo, NY | 72% | $67,316 | $18,211 | $19,500 | 0.29x |
| 6 | [Vanderbilt University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/vanderbilt-university) | Nashville, TN | 93% | $91,565 | $15,846 | $14,000 | 0.15x |
| 7 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 8 | [Goshen College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/goshen-college) | Goshen, IN | 63% | $51,943 | $14,493 | $22,974 | 0.44x |
| 9 | [Emporia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emporia-state-university) | Emporia, KS | 55% | $47,601 | $16,261 | $19,500 | 0.41x |
| 10 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 11 | [Trinity Christian College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trinity-christian-college) | Palos Heights, IL | 61% | $55,700 | $19,125 | $25,009 | 0.45x |
| 12 | [Illinois State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-state-university) | Normal, IL | 65% | $62,117 | $19,398 | $20,482 | 0.33x |
| 13 | [William Carey University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-carey-university) | Hattiesburg, MS | 51% | $43,087 | $14,258 | $20,832 | 0.48x |
| 14 | [SUNY Oneonta](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-oneonta) | Oneonta, NY | 70% | $60,386 | $19,158 | $19,812 | 0.33x |
| 15 | [Boricua College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boricua-college) | New York, NY | 74% | $35,348 | $15,245 | $6,733 | 0.19x |
| 16 | [Brigham Young University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brigham-young-university) | Provo, UT | 82% | $75,790 | $15,564 | $11,069 | 0.15x |
| 17 | [Buena Vista University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/buena-vista-university) | Storm Lake, IA | 54% | $49,156 | $18,846 | $25,000 | 0.51x |
| 18 | [Swarthmore College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/swarthmore-college) | Swarthmore, PA | 93% | $80,257 | $23,149 | $17,500 | 0.22x |
| 19 | [Blackburn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/blackburn-college) | Carlinville, IL | 55% | $46,802 | $18,460 | $24,242 | 0.52x |
| 20 | [Newman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/newman-university) | Wichita, KS | 53% | $55,041 | $19,971 | $20,801 | 0.38x |
| 21 | [Smith College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/smith-college) | Northampton, MA | 89% | $64,027 | $27,579 | $17,550 | 0.27x |
| 22 | [Minot State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/minot-state-university) | Minot, ND | 46% | $51,759 | $12,703 | $19,609 | 0.38x |
| 23 | [The College of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-college-of-new-jersey) | Ewing, NJ | 86% | $73,323 | $27,646 | $23,250 | 0.32x |
| 24 | [SUNY at Fredonia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-at-fredonia) | Fredonia, NY | 52% | $54,247 | $15,897 | $24,250 | 0.45x |
| 25 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 26 | [University of Central Missouri](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-missouri) | Warrensburg, MO | 52% | $49,560 | $14,462 | $21,000 | 0.42x |
| 27 | [Bridgewater State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bridgewater-state-university) | Bridgewater, MA | 54% | $57,466 | $16,383 | $24,286 | 0.42x |
| 28 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 29 | [Piedmont University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/piedmont-university) | Demorest, GA | 44% | $49,130 | $20,599 | $25,000 | 0.51x |
| 30 | [St. Joseph's University-New York](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/st-josephs-university-new-york) | Brooklyn, NY | 67% | $63,905 | $19,035 | $22,000 | 0.34x |
| 31 | [New Mexico Highlands University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-mexico-highlands-university) | Las Vegas, NM | 26% | $45,937 | $14,838 | $11,399 | 0.25x |
| 32 | [State University of New York at New Paltz](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-new-paltz) | New Paltz, NY | 70% | $58,073 | $18,809 | $18,750 | 0.32x |
| 33 | [Fort Hays State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university) | Hays, KS | 48% | $48,928 | $12,569 | $21,000 | 0.43x |
| 34 | [Roberts Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/roberts-wesleyan-university) | Rochester, NY | 65% | $55,031 | $23,130 | $23,750 | 0.43x |
| 35 | [Chadron State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chadron-state-college) | Chadron, NE | 44% | $47,002 | $12,549 | $18,875 | 0.4x |
| 36 | [Northwest Missouri State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwest-missouri-state-university) | Maryville, MO | 56% | $47,885 | $16,244 | $21,500 | 0.45x |
| 37 | [University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-science-and-arts-of-oklahoma) | Chickasha, OK | 41% | $41,913 | $6,624 | $21,750 | 0.52x |
| 38 | [Ramapo College of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey) | Mahwah, NJ | 71% | $67,541 | $18,173 | $21,000 | 0.31x |
| 39 | [Maranatha Baptist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/maranatha-baptist-university) | Watertown, WI | 65% | $45,593 | $26,005 | $14,143 | 0.31x |
| 40 | [Midland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/midland-university) | Fremont, NE | 43% | $52,163 | $26,267 | $26,134 | 0.5x |
| 41 | [Ball State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ball-state-university) | Muncie, IN | 63% | $51,833 | $14,940 | $23,250 | 0.45x |
| 42 | [Rhode Island College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rhode-island-college) | Providence, RI | 47% | $56,318 | $9,478 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 43 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 44 | [Greenville University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/greenville-university) | Greenville, IL | 46% | $46,827 | $19,533 | $23,875 | 0.51x |
| 45 | [Bay Path University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bay-path-university) | Longmeadow, MA | 51% | $55,383 | $14,271 | $24,901 | 0.45x |
| 46 | [Georgia Southwestern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-southwestern-state-university) | Americus, GA | 36% | $48,757 | $12,019 | $18,851 | 0.39x |
| 47 | [SUNY Old Westbury](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-old-westbury) | Old Westbury, NY | 46% | $58,526 | $11,282 | $14,997 | 0.26x |
| 48 | [James Madison University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/james-madison-university) | Harrisonburg, VA | 80% | $69,954 | $23,322 | $20,093 | 0.29x |
| 49 | [William Penn University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-penn-university) | Oskaloosa, IA | 31% | $48,936 | $22,601 | $22,415 | 0.46x |
| 50 | [The University of Texas Permian Basin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-permian-basin) | Odessa, TX | 42% | $56,073 | $12,723 | $17,750 | 0.32x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Bachelor's in Education." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-education

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.