[Soil Sciences](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/soil-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for soil sciences students.
Finding the Best Value Soil Sciences School for You
The right soil sciences school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value Soil Sciences Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Soil Sciences Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Our analysis ranked University Of Florida the best value for a degree in soil sciences in the United States. University Of Florida is a very large public school located in the city of Gainesville. Students from in state pay about $6,381 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,659. Soil Sciences graduates carry a median of $17,669 in student loans. Soon after graduation, soil sciences degree recipients from University Of Florida generally make around $61,827. Set against $17,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Georgia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in soil sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Soil Sciences graduates carry a median of $21,792 in student loans. Early-career soil sciences graduates make about $53,546. Set against $21,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a great value for students pursuing a degree in soil sciences, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,228, while out-of-state students pay about $18,248. Typical student debt for soil sciences graduates is $22,989. Soil Sciences graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point earn a median of $50,046 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,989 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Brigham Young University Provo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in soil sciences, landing the #4 spot this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,688. Soil Sciences graduates carry a median of $12,184 in student loans. Soon after graduation, soil sciences degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $54,507. That is a strong return on a $12,184 median debt. Brigham Young University Provo admits about 68% of applicants.
Oklahoma State University Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value soil sciences schools. Oklahoma State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Stillwater. Students from in state pay about $10,110 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $25,630. Soil Sciences graduates carry a median of $22,337 in student loans. Soil Sciences graduates of Oklahoma State University Main Campus earn a median of $43,421 early in their careers. Set against $22,337 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln landed the #6 spot for soil sciences value this year. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,434, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Students borrow a median of $22,386 to complete the soil sciences program here. Soil Sciences graduates of University Of Nebraska Lincoln earn a median of $49,755 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,386 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Iowa State University placed #7 among the best values for soil sciences. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Typical student debt for soil sciences graduates is $23,496. Soil Sciences graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $54,204 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,496 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
The University Of Tennessee ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value soil sciences schools. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Typical student debt for soil sciences graduates is $23,149. Early-career soil sciences graduates make about $55,322. That is a strong return on a $23,149 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Michigan State University landed the #9 spot for soil sciences value this year. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $21,859 to complete the soil sciences program here. Early-career soil sciences graduates make about $50,770. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
Colorado State University Fort Collins placed #10 among the best values for soil sciences. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. Students from in state pay about $13,373 in tuition and fees, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for soil sciences graduates is $21,750. Early-career soil sciences graduates make about $46,287. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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).
[Soil Sciences](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/soil-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
