2026 Best Value Horticultural Science Schools in the Far Western Region
[Horticultural Science](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/plant-sciences/horticultural-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value horticultural science schools.
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2026 Best Value Horticultural Science Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the horticultural science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Horticultural Science Schools
For return on investment in horticultural science, no school beat Washington State University this year. Located in the town of Pullman, Washington State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,391, while out-of-state students pay about $29,950. Students borrow a median of $17,539 to complete the horticultural science program here. Early-career horticultural science graduates make about $47,531. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earned it the #2 place for horticultural science. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Students from in state pay about $12,161 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,230. Typical student debt for horticultural science graduates is $16,666. Soon after graduation, horticultural science degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo generally make around $61,010. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 31% of applicants are accepted.
Oregon State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in horticultural science, landing the #3 spot this year. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,400, compared with $38,190 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,096 to complete the horticultural science program here. Horticultural Science graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $38,397 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.
