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2026 Best Value Forestry Schools in the Southwest Region

[Forestry](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/forestry/) 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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for forestry students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Forestry Schools in the Southwest Region

2026 Best Value Forestry Schools in the Southwest Region

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

Best Value Forestry Schools

1

Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ

$12,619 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,811 Avg Student Debt

$54,384 Median Earnings (10yr)

Northern Arizona University earned the #1 spot for value among forestry schools in the Southwest Region. Northern Arizona University is a very large public school located in the city of Flagstaff. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,619, with out-of-state students paying around $20,044. Typical student debt for forestry graduates is $21,811. Early-career forestry graduates make about $41,790. That is a strong return on a $21,811 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.

2

Stephen F Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX

$11,128 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,250 Avg Student Debt

$49,634 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Stephen F Austin State University earned it the #2 place for forestry. Stephen F Austin State University is a large public school located in the town of Nacogdoches. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,128, while out-of-state students pay about $20,968. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the forestry program here. Soon after graduation, forestry degree recipients from Stephen F Austin State University generally make around $39,953. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.

View All Forestry Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 7 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.