For colleges in the Northeast with an education major, I would look at Fairfield University or Providence College. Fairfield has a school of education and is in a beautiful town. Providence also to my knowledge has an education major and I liked the campus spirit I saw when we visited on a tour during basketball season. For flagships, she could also consider UConn.
1 Like
Depending on budget and if they would come in under $30,000.
2 Likes
There are many small private colleges in Pennsylvania which offer education degrees. They often compete with the PASSHE schools for students and some (including W&J) offer enough merit and need-based aid to bring costs down to ~$30,000. However, they aren’t even close to the size of flagships. I do think, however, that the state (e.g., PASSHE and SUNY) schools that started out as state teachers colleges often do the best job in preparing classroom teachers.
I had the same experience. It ranged from <$10k at the most exclusive colleges to >$55k at technical institutes. I ran dozens and dozens of NPCs and that helped rule out those we can’t afford (most of them), but found some that were surprisingly affordable.
My understanding is that Cortland’s reputation for education is based on their program in physical education. I’m not aware of it being more highly regarded than other SUNYs for any other kind of education although I may be missing something.
1 Like
These are good college suggestions for education…but I’m not sure any of the three you mention (Providence, Fairfield, UConn) will come in at under $30,000 which is what this student needs for a cost.
3 Likes
Western Connecticut (Danbury) and Eastern Connecticut (Willimantic) State Universities both charge NY residents the same in-state tuition as Connecticut residents pay.
Southern Connecticut (New Haven) State University and Rhode Island College (Providence) both offer NY residents a reduced tuition program which equals in-state + 50%.
UMass Dartmouth (New Bedford), UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, and Mass College of Liberal Arts (North Adams) all offer varying discounts to NY residents. The discount at Mass College of Liberal Arts discount is particularly attractive as it equates to a discount of about 85%.
William Patterson University in Wayne, NJ charges all out-of-state students the same tuition as in-state students.
You haven’t mentioned whether your interest is in elementary education or secondary education.
As a retired school principal, I will stress one thing. Where a teacher-in-training student teaches is the single most important factor in their undergraduate education. I have seen students at wonderful colleges in every other way get awful student teaching placements, so ask where student teaching assignments will be. Talk to current students about their student teaching experiences if possible. Since this typically doesn’t happen until senior year, that means next spring when your decision will be in process, not now when you’re making a list. The best student teaching experiences will be in well resourced school districts with students who come to school ready to learn. Finally, the earlier in their college that prospective students get into classrooms, the better their teacher preparation will be.
2 Likes
Going by locals and this:
Of note: “preparing more teachers than any other public university in New York state.”
Lots of programs.
2 Likes
Stated in the OP.
Nice marketing, but it doesn’t tell me much.
2 Likes
Thanks. Sorry I missed that.
3 Likes
Check out the NYS Math and Science Teaching Inventive Peogram:
This is a scholarship program equivalent to the cost of tuition at a SUNY although it can also be used at a private college. In addition to 4 years of college, it also covers a 5th year of graduate school.. Recipients must agree to teach for 5 years in New York State as a Marh or Science teacher within 2 years after graduation.
5 Likes
You haven’t told us whether your family’s income and assets will qualify you for fin aid. If they don’t, you won’t get a better price anywhere than at the SUNY’s in-state, unless it’s a school in danger of financial failure.
She should cross off all the out of state public schools. Teacher certification is very local - it’s easier to get it done if you’re attending a college with a strong school of ed that is in the state where you want to teach.
As for out of state private schools and in-state privates, they might offer some fin aid (but we have no way of knowing), or they might offer some merit money, but they’re not going to come close to matching the cost of a SUNY.
Pare down the list. SUNYs that have strong Ed programs. That’s it. You’ve got reaches and matches and safeties within those constraints that will meet your financial limitations.
2 Likes
I fully agree that prospective teachers MUST get into classrooms as early as possible in their college years. Look for schools that require this as part of their training.
Some colleges split the student teaching into two parts…a well resourced district, and a less well resource district. In my opinion, this is a good idea. Some prospective teachers will prefer one over the other.
One of the things I learned very early in my undergrad training was how to do more with less. We had to do speech language therapy lessons with nothing more than a pencil and paper. I can tell you, this served me very well many times over many years.
While it’s very nice to do student teaching in a well resourced and wealthy school district, this is not the reality for many students/schools.
6 Likes
Gaining valuable classroom experience in a variety of school environments is essential.
Roughly 7 out of 10 early career teachers abandon or consider leaving the classroom within their first five years of teaching, according to 2025 survey data collected and analyzed by the Center for American Progress.
People planning careers in education need to know beforehand what they are getting themselves into.
2 Likes
Agree. The many teachers in my family are often surprised and grateful when smartboards, tablets, well stocked libraries, etc. show up in their schools. But that doesn’t replace a well trained teacher who needs to be able to manage a classroom, develop an appropriate lesson plan, and catch the students who are lagging before they fall through the cracks.
The “classroom of the future” (whether a blended learning/module at your own pace situation or just a learning environment augmented with up-to-date technology) is appropriate for some kids and disastrous for others. A good teacher needs to learn how to function with both.
And yes, some schools STILL don’t have tape, markers, tissues, hand sanitizer, even if they are bragging about their low student/teacher ratios and excellent test scores. Teachers are still digging into their own pockets to supply their classrooms. Even in affluent districts.
4 Likes
So the above posts highlight why I think choosing an instate option, at a somewhat lower cost to attend…for education undergrads…is a good idea.
Even in my very first job (back in the Stone Age), I was buying things I actually needed or wanted for use with my students.
And I worked a second job for at least the first 12 years I was teaching…only stopping when I had our first child (and just didn’t have time).
This poster is very fortunate to have a number of NY publics and some in neighboring states that will be within their stated price point. Nice to have so many options!
3 Likes
Thank you for all of this information on experience in the classroom. That is something we’ve been looking in to, but its not always obvious from college’s websites. I guess that is something to dive deeper into as we get acceptances. We have eliminated everything that does not have a major with student teaching experience, but some programs have classroom experience in your first or second year, and others just list formal student teaching as a 9th semester. I’ll have to get more information on this.
2 Likes
The school’s focus on physical education was the thing that was a little off putting to my daughter. She loves watching sports, but she is not athletically inclined, and she was afraid that everyone there would be a jock or an athlete. I’m not sure how accurate that is, and maybe it warrants a visit to see, but that was her impression, especially based off of people she knows who have gone there.
3 Likes