2026 Best Value Botany/Plant Biology Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in botany/plant biology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Botany/Plant Biology Schools
For return on investment in botany/plant biology, no school beat Humboldt State University this year. Set in the town of Arcata, Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,397 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,997 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,129 to complete the botany/plant biology program here. Soon after graduation, botany/plant biology degree recipients from Humboldt State University generally make around $30,713. That is a strong return on a $19,129 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of California Riverside one of the best values for botany/plant biology. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,636 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $46,524. Typical student debt for botany/plant biology graduates is $19,187. Early-career botany/plant biology graduates make about $40,040. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
University Of California Berkeley is a great value for students pursuing a degree in botany/plant biology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Typical student debt for botany/plant biology graduates is $14,238. Early-career botany/plant biology graduates make about $70,847. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of California Davis one of the best values for botany/plant biology. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Botany/plant Biology graduates carry a median of $14,404 in student loans. Botany/plant Biology graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $53,749 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,404 median debt. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
[Botany/Plant Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/botany-plant-biology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong botany/plant biology education at a price that pays off.
