2026 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools
[Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/natural-resource-recreation-and-tourism/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong natural resource recreation & tourism education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools.
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Finding the Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism School for You
Where you study natural resource recreation & tourism affects both what you pay and what you earn. That is why we developed our Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Learn more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2026 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the natural resource recreation & tourism degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools
University Of Wyoming tops our 2026 list of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools in the United States. Located in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,768, while out-of-state students pay about $24,178. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $20,283. Early-career natural resource recreation & tourism graduates make about $49,890. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 97%.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Stevens Point. In-state tuition and fees average $9,228, while out-of-state students pay about $18,248. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates carry a median of $22,132 in student loans. Early-career natural resource recreation & tourism graduates make about $40,553. That is a strong return on a $22,132 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Georgia one of the best values for natural resource recreation & tourism. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $21,792. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates of University Of Georgia earn a median of $53,546 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Georgia admits about 38% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes The University Of Montana one of the best values for natural resource recreation & tourism. Located in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,552 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,671 for out-of-state students. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates carry a median of $24,342 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resource recreation & tourism degree recipients from The University Of Montana generally make around $42,654. That is a strong return on a $24,342 median debt. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #5 place for natural resource recreation & tourism. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $22,843. Soon after graduation, natural resource recreation & tourism degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $43,262. Set against $22,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
Michigan State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates carry a median of $21,755 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resource recreation & tourism degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $48,967. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Vermont earned the #7 position for value in natural resource recreation & tourism this year. Set in the city of Burlington, University Of Vermont is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $19,058 in tuition and fees, compared with $45,502 for out-of-state students. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates carry a median of $22,607 in student loans. Early-career natural resource recreation & tourism graduates make about $44,588. Set against $22,607 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Vermont admits about 65% of applicants.
Auburn University came in at #8 for value in natural resource recreation & tourism this year. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,890 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $34,922. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $22,803. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $55,422 early in their careers. Set against $22,803 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Auburn University admits about 46% of applicants.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism. See all related 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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
