Best Colleges for Education in 2025–26

30 colleges with strong education programs, ranked by size and selectivity.

Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA

55% acceptance$19,286 in-state

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ

78.9% acceptance$17,850 in-state

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA

60.6% acceptance$20,644 in-state

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI

84.8% acceptance$16,458 in-state

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX

89.3% acceptance$11,450 in-state

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL

76.7% acceptance$12,180 in-state

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA

93.5% acceptance$7,458 in-state

Utah Valley University

Orem, UT

$6,507 in-state

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA

76.4% acceptance$15,606 in-state

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS

93.5% acceptance$12,102 in-state

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI

83% acceptance$15,140 in-state

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

96.4% acceptance$7,950 in-state

Weber State University

Ogden, UT

$6,557 in-state

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, GA

67.9% acceptance$5,285 in-state

Towson University

Towson, MD

82% acceptance$11,728 in-state

Wayne State University

Detroit, MI

81.2% acceptance$15,190 in-state

Baylor University

Waco, TX

51.3% acceptance$58,100 in-state

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA

78.4% acceptance$10,775 in-state

Portland State University

Portland, OR

90.9% acceptance$11,679 in-state

CUNY City College

New York, NY

60% acceptance$7,340 in-state

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY

93.9% acceptance$11,652 in-state

University of Vermont

Burlington, VT

65.3% acceptance$19,058 in-state

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN

88.4% acceptance$9,572 in-state

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, IL

69.8% acceptance$13,248 in-state

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX

44.5% acceptance$61,740 in-state

National University

San Diego, CA

$13,284 in-state

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY

58.4% acceptance$7,452 in-state

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS

99.1% acceptance$9,998 in-state

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC

81.8% acceptance$4,630 in-state

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, NY

92.3% acceptance$7,490 in-state

How to choose a education program

State licensure requirements vary — choose a program accredited in the state where you want to teach. Look for programs with extensive student teaching placements and partnerships with local school districts. Consider specialisations like special education or ESL.

Common career paths for education graduates

K-12 Teacher, School Administrator, Curriculum Developer, Education Policy Analyst, Instructional Designer

Scholarships for education students

There are scholarships specifically for students studying education. Search our database to find awards you qualify for.

Find education scholarships →

KidToCollege is free to use and editorially independent. Data sourced from public records including IPEDS, Common Data Sets, College Board and FAFSA.gov. Always verify deadlines and requirements directly with institutions. Not a guarantee of admission or financial aid.