2026 Best Value Ecology Schools in New York
[Ecology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/ecology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong ecology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for ecology students.
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2026 Best Value Ecology Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in ecology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Ecology Schools
Our analysis ranked Stony Brook University the best value for a degree in ecology in New York. Stony Brook University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Stony Brook. In-state tuition and fees average $10,931, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Ecology graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Ecology graduates of Stony Brook University earn a median of $22,725 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 49%.
Students looking for strong value in ecology will find it at Columbia University In The City Of New York, which ranked #2. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Ecology graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Ecology graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $76,132 early in their careers. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
A rank of #3 makes University At Buffalo one of the best values for ecology. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,936, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Students borrow a median of $22,232 to complete the ecology program here. Ecology graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $52,403 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in ecology will find it at New York University, which ranked #4. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the ecology program here. Soon after graduation, ecology degree recipients from New York University generally make around $41,024. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
