2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in Virginia
[Sustainability Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/sustainability-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sustainability studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value sustainability studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the sustainability studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools
For return on investment in sustainability studies, no school beat George Mason University this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, while out-of-state students pay about $38,688. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Sustainability Studies graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $39,329 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Virginia Main Campus one of the best values for sustainability studies. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $18,627. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $69,126. Set against $18,627 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in sustainability studies will find it at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $60,004. That is a strong return on a $23,393 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
