2026 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools in the Southeast Region
[Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/water-wetlands-and-marine-resources-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for water, wetlands, & marine resources management students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in water, wetlands, & marine resources management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools
Florida Gulf Coast University tops our 2026 list of the best value water, wetlands, & marine resources management schools in the Southeast Region. Located in the suburb of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,162. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates carry a median of $21,730 in student loans. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates of Florida Gulf Coast University earn a median of $30,818 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Florida Gulf Coast University admits about 63% of applicants.
University Of Georgia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in water, wetlands, & marine resources management, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Georgia is a very large public school located in the city of Athens. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates carry a median of $21,792 in student loans. Early-career water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates make about $53,546. Set against $21,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #3 place for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Students from in state pay about $15,948 in tuition and fees, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the water, wetlands, & marine resources management program here. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Everglades University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value water, wetlands, & marine resources management schools. Set in the city of Boca Raton, Everglades University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $21,680 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $47,000 to complete the water, wetlands, & marine resources management program here. Early-career water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates make about $41,859. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Everglades University admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Miami earned it the #5 place for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. Located in the suburb of Coral Gables, University Of Miami is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,616 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $17,750 to complete the water, wetlands, & marine resources management program here. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates of University Of Miami earn a median of $41,886 early in their careers. Set against $17,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Miami admits about 19% of applicants.
Narrow Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools by State
More Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Rankings
View All Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 12 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.
