by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study forestry, you’ve come to the right place. The list below highlights 36 colleges ranked on how well they support veterans pursuing forestry, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. So you can compare your options, College Factual reviewed colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Check out our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Narrow this ranking to a degree level below:
Here are the top-ranked forestry colleges for veterans:
University of Georgia tops our 2026 ranking of the best forestry colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 89.3 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full forestry report for University of Georgia
Veteran students seeking a strong forestry program will find one at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, which ranked #2. The school's overall veterans score is 88.1 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Veteran students seeking a strong forestry program will find one at University of Florida, which ranked #3. It scores 86.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. More about the forestry program at University of Florida
University of Washington-Seattle Campus is a great choice for veterans pursuing forestry, landing the #4 spot this year. It scores 85.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Kentucky is a great choice for veterans pursuing forestry, landing the #5 spot this year. University of Kentucky scores 84.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score.
More about the forestry program at University of Kentucky
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California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo came in at #6 for veteran forestry students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 84.6 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about forestry at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Iowa State University landed the #7 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. It scores 84.5 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full forestry report for Iowa State University
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. University of Minnesota-Twin Cities scores 83.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full forestry report for University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Michigan Technological University landed the #9 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. It scores 82.9 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the forestry program at Michigan Technological University
Clemson University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. Clemson University scores 81.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score.
See the full forestry report for Clemson University
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University of Nevada-Reno landed the #11 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. It scores 81.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the forestry program at University of Nevada-Reno
North Carolina State University at Raleigh ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. North Carolina State University at Raleigh scores 80.9 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Mississippi State University placed #13 among the best forestry colleges for veterans. Mississippi State University scores 80.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about forestry at Mississippi State University
Oregon State University placed #14 among the best forestry colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 80.5 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about forestry at Oregon State University
Purdue University-Main Campus landed the #15 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. Purdue University-Main Campus scores 80.1 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
More about the forestry program at Purdue University-Main Campus
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The University of Montana landed the #16 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. The University of Montana scores 79.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the forestry program at The University of Montana
Louisiana Tech University placed #17 among the best forestry colleges for veterans. Louisiana Tech University scores 78.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full forestry report for Louisiana Tech University
Northern Arizona University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 77.0 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at Northern Arizona University
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 76.8 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Michigan State University placed #20 among the best forestry colleges for veterans. It scores 76.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score.
See the full forestry report for Michigan State University
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Colorado State University-Fort Collins came in at #21 for veteran forestry students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 76.4 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the forestry program at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
West Virginia University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best forestry colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 75.9 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the forestry program at West Virginia University
University of Idaho came in at #23 for veteran forestry students this year. It scores 75.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about forestry at University of Idaho
Pennsylvania College of Technology landed the #24 spot for veterans pursuing forestry. It scores 74.9 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about forestry at Pennsylvania College of Technology
University of California-Davis placed #25 among the best forestry colleges for veterans. It scores 74.9 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about forestry at University of California-Davis
Not far behind, these forestry colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
We measure this ranking on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying forestry: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
