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2026 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the Southeast Region

[Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/natural-resource-recreation-and-tourism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural resource recreation & tourism students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the Southeast Region

2026 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the Southeast Region

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

1

University Of Georgia
Athens, GA

$11,450 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,792 Avg Student Debt

$68,726 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Georgia tops our 2026 list of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $21,792. Soon after graduation, natural resource recreation & tourism degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $53,546. That is a strong return on a $21,792 median debt. The acceptance rate is 38%.

2

Auburn University
Auburn, AL

$12,890 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,803 Avg Student Debt

$65,337 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Auburn University earned it the #2 place for natural resource recreation & tourism. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,890, while out-of-state students pay about $34,922. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates carry a median of $22,803 in student loans. 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. The acceptance rate is 46%.

View All Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism 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 · 4 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.