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Featured Environmental Design Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Finding the Best Value Environmental Design School for You
The right environmental design school can pay off for years to come. That is why we built our Best Value Environmental Design Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
Read more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Environmental Design Schools list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
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Featured Environmental Design Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2026 Best Value Environmental Design Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the environmental design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Environmental Design Schools
Leading the list is Florida Atlantic University, our #1 best value for environmental design in the United States. Florida Atlantic University is a very large public school located in the city of Boca Raton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,879, while out-of-state students pay about $17,324. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $16,250 in student loans. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $49,340. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Texas At San Antonio one of the best values for environmental design. Located in the city of San Antonio, The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,326, with out-of-state students paying around $22,249. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $23,312. Environmental Design graduates of The University Of Texas At San Antonio earn a median of $49,955 early in their careers. Set against $23,312 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Texas At San Antonio admits about 87% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras one of the best values for environmental design. University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras is a large public school located in the city of San Juan. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,324. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $5,500. Environmental Design graduates of University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras earn a median of $24,881 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt. University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras admits about 55% of applicants.
Utah State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental design schools. Located in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,560, with out-of-state students paying around $24,993. Students borrow a median of $16,191 to complete the environmental design program here. Environmental Design graduates of Utah State University earn a median of $50,348 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,191 median debt. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Hawaii At Manoa one of the best values for environmental design. Set in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,186, while out-of-state students pay about $34,218. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $22,047 in student loans. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $37,849. Set against $22,047 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
University Of California Berkeley earned the #6 position for value in environmental design this year. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,377, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $14,238. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $70,847. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
University Of Memphis earned the #7 position for value in environmental design this year. University Of Memphis is a very large public school located in the city of Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,728, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $26,315. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $48,890. That is a strong return on a $26,315 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Arizona State University earned the #8 position for value in environmental design this year. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $37,226. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Harvard University placed #9 among the best values for environmental design. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Environmental Design graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Harvard University admits about 4% of applicants.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental design schools. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $25,759 in student loans. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $59,622. Set against $25,759 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.
North Dakota State University Main Campus landed the #11 spot for environmental design value this year. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,910 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,564. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $25,153. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $54,076. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Stony Brook University placed #12 among the best values for environmental design. Located in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, compared with $32,741 for out-of-state students. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $20,537 in student loans. Early-career environmental design graduates make about $60,047. Set against $20,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 49% of applicants are accepted.
University Of New Mexico Main Campus came in at #13 for value in environmental design this year. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Albuquerque. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,140, compared with $33,060 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,738 to complete the environmental design program here. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from University Of New Mexico Main Campus generally make around $49,983. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
University At Buffalo ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental design schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $19,669 in student loans. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from University At Buffalo generally make around $37,952. Set against $19,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Boulder earned the #15 position for value in environmental design this year. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,214 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $23,641. Environmental Design graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $42,401 early in their careers. Set against $23,641 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus earned the #16 position for value in environmental design this year. Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the town of Bowling Green. Students from in state pay about $13,912 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the environmental design program here. Environmental Design graduates of Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn a median of $43,843 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Auburn University came in at #17 for value in environmental design this year. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,890, with out-of-state students paying around $34,922. Typical student debt for environmental design graduates is $25,375. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from Auburn University generally make around $44,929. That is a strong return on a $25,375 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Otis College Of Art And Design ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental design schools. Otis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,488. Environmental Design graduates carry a median of $28,292 in student loans. Environmental Design graduates of Otis College Of Art And Design earn a median of $21,440 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,292 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 65 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
[Environmental Design](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/environmental-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
