Best Online Elementary Education Programs in Grand Junction, CO (2026)

Grand Junction, Colorado has 1 accredited school offering elementary education programs. Grand Junction has a population of about 67,027. Median household income is $66,676 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Grand Junction, CO metro area, the top-earning elementary education-related role is Secondary School Teacher at a median $64,060 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Elementary Education Schools to Grand Junction

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer elementary education programs near Grand Junction, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Grand Junction city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Grand Junction. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, CO 96.2 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 45.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,833
Avg net price $16,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fort Lewis College

Durango, CO 130.9 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 40.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,349
Avg net price $17,296/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Adams State University

Alamosa, CO 183.4 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 37.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,372
Avg net price $12,980/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO 187.0 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 73.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,738
Avg net price $25,346/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,666
Out‑of‑state$44,918
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Naropa University

Boulder, CO 187.1 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 26.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $28,720
Avg net price $29,179/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Colorado Christian University

Lakewood, CO 190.3 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 36.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,416
Avg net price $29,500/yr
Tuition
In‑state$41,342
Out‑of‑state$41,342
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Regis University

Denver, CO 194.8 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 62.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,105
Avg net price $18,397/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO 195.3 miles from Grand Junction BOC Score 43.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,093
Avg net price $15,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Colorado schools on the Colorado elementary education page.


Elementary Education Wages Near Grand Junction

Grand Junction is part of the Grand Junction, CO metro area (BLS area code 24300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Colorado statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Elementary School Teacher$52,230Grand Junction, CO$54,691
Middle School Teacher$51,740Grand Junction, CO$54,178
Secondary School Teacher$64,060Grand Junction, CO$67,079
Teaching Assistant$39,070Grand Junction, CO$40,911

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Grand Junction at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population67,027Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,676Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Grand Junction-Area Cities With Elementary Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited elementary education schools are near Grand Junction, CO?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering elementary education programs near Grand Junction. The closest is Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO (96.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Western Colorado University (96.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying elementary education roles near Grand Junction?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying elementary education-related roles near Grand Junction are: Secondary School Teacher ($64,060), Elementary School Teacher ($52,230), Middle School Teacher ($51,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Colorado statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Montrose instead of Grand Junction?

Montrose, CO is 57.3 miles from Grand Junction and has its own set of local elementary education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Grand Junction an affordable place to study elementary education?

Grand Junction’s median household income of $66,676 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Grand Junction while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Elementary Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Grand Junction

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Grand Junction:

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.