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2026 Best Value Environmental Design Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

[Environmental Design](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/environmental-design/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for environmental design students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Environmental Design Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

2026 Best Value Environmental Design Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the environmental design degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Environmental Design Schools

1

Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY

$10,931 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,537 Avg Student Debt

$74,502 Median Earnings (10yr)

Stony Brook University earned the #1 spot for value among environmental design schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,931, while out-of-state students pay about $32,741. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $20,537. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from Stony Brook University generally make around $60,047. Set against $20,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 49%.

2

University At Buffalo
Buffalo, NY

$10,936 In-State Tuition & Fees

$19,669 Avg Student Debt

$70,814 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes University At Buffalo one of the best values for environmental design. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Students borrow a median of $19,669 to complete the environmental design program here. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $37,952. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.

View All Environmental Design Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.