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2026 Best Value Environmental Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Environmental Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/environmental-biology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong environmental biology education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value environmental biology schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Environmental Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region

2026 Best Value Environmental Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in environmental biology, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Environmental Biology Schools

1

Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

$18,079 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,500 Avg Student Debt

$67,253 Median Earnings (10yr)

Michigan State University tops our 2026 list of the best value environmental biology schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the environmental biology program here. Soon after graduation, environmental biology degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $29,318. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.

2

University Of Dayton
Dayton, OH

$49,140 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,000 Avg Student Debt

$75,537 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes University Of Dayton one of the best values for environmental biology. University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dayton. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. Environmental Biology graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Environmental Biology graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $23,609 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.

View All Environmental Biology 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 · 12 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.