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2026 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Outdoor Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/outdoor-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for outdoor education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the The Plains States Region

2026 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the The Plains States Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in outdoor education, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Outdoor Education Schools

1

Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College
Hibbing, MN

$6,022 In-State Tuition & Fees

$17,029 Avg Student Debt

$45,570 Median Earnings (10yr)

Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value outdoor education schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Hibbing, Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,022. Typical student debt for outdoor education graduates is $17,029. Outdoor Education graduates of Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College earn a median of $44,387 early in their careers. Set against $17,029 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

2

Minnesota State University Mankato
Mankato, MN

$9,572 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,260 Avg Student Debt

$56,922 Median Earnings (10yr)

Minnesota State University Mankato came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value outdoor education schools. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,572 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Outdoor Education graduates carry a median of $25,260 in student loans. Soon after graduation, outdoor education degree recipients from Minnesota State University Mankato generally make around $53,088. Set against $25,260 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Minnesota State University Mankato admits about 88% of applicants.

View All Outdoor Education Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.