2026 Best Value Horticulture Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[Horticulture](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/horticulture/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 284 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value horticulture schools.
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2026 Best Value Horticulture Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in horticulture, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Horticulture Schools
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College tops our 2026 list of the best value horticulture schools in the United States. Located in the town of Tifton, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,268, with out-of-state students paying around $10,588. Horticulture graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $44,751. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Brigham Young University Idaho earned it the #2 place for horticulture. Set in the town of Rexburg, Brigham Young University Idaho is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800. Horticulture graduates carry a median of $12,749 in student loans. Horticulture graduates of Brigham Young University Idaho earn a median of $26,238 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Brigham Young University Idaho admits about 96% of applicants.
Farmingdale State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in horticulture, landing the #3 spot this year. Farmingdale State College is a large public school located in the suburb of Farmingdale. Students from in state pay about $8,626 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,536. Horticulture graduates carry a median of $23,900 in student loans. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $50,374. Set against $23,900 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Farmingdale State College admits about 63% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Brigham Young University Provo one of the best values for horticulture. Set in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Typical student debt for horticulture graduates is $12,184. Soon after graduation, horticulture degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $46,439. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in horticulture will find it at Mississippi State University, which ranked #5. Mississippi State University is a very large public school located in the town of Mississippi State. In-state tuition and fees average $10,202, with out-of-state students paying around $27,637. Typical student debt for horticulture graduates is $23,969. Soon after graduation, horticulture degree recipients from Mississippi State University generally make around $47,383. Set against $23,969 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale placed #6 among the best values for horticulture. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Students borrow a median of $23,730 to complete the horticulture program here. Soon after graduation, horticulture degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $46,566. That is a strong return on a $23,730 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln placed #7 among the best values for horticulture. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,434 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Typical student debt for horticulture graduates is $24,998. Soon after graduation, horticulture degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $46,289. That is a strong return on a $24,998 median debt. University Of Nebraska Lincoln admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Arkansas earned the #8 position for value in horticulture this year. Set in the city of Fayetteville, University Of Arkansas is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,104, compared with $29,966 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for horticulture graduates is $24,019. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $29,241. Set against $24,019 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Rhode Island placed #9 among the best values for horticulture. Set in the suburb of Kingston, University Of Rhode Island is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,942, while out-of-state students pay about $37,146. Horticulture graduates carry a median of $23,432 in student loans. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $52,821. Set against $23,432 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Colorado State University Fort Collins placed #10 among the best values for horticulture. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Students borrow a median of $22,843 to complete the horticulture program here. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $51,005. That is a strong return on a $22,843 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Texas A And M University College Station ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value horticulture schools. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Horticulture graduates carry a median of $18,422 in student loans. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $41,341. That is a strong return on a $18,422 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Clemson University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value horticulture schools. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,554, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,783 to complete the horticulture program here. Early-career horticulture graduates make about $53,834. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
Johnson And Wales University Providence earned the #13 position for value in horticulture this year. Johnson And Wales University Providence is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. In-state tuition and fees average $41,982. Typical student debt for horticulture graduates is $26,350. Horticulture graduates of Johnson And Wales University Providence earn a median of $45,920 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Johnson And Wales University Providence admits about 88% of applicants.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned the #14 position for value in horticulture this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,644, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Other Horticulture Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Horticulture rankings across degree levels:
View All Horticulture 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 · 284 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
