2027 Best Value Ecology Schools in New York

[Ecology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/ecology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong ecology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for ecology students.
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2027 Best Value Ecology Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in ecology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Ecology Schools
Suny College At Plattsburgh earned the #1 spot for value among ecology schools in New York. Located in the town of Plattsburgh, Suny College At Plattsburgh is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,035, compared with $18,945 for out-of-state students. Ecology graduates carry a median of $24,217 in student loans. Ecology graduates of Suny College At Plattsburgh earn a median of $23,682 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,217 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Stony Brook University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ecology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,931, compared with $32,741 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the ecology program here. Early-career ecology graduates make about $22,725. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 49%.
Columbia University In The City Of New York is a great value for students pursuing a degree in ecology, landing the #3 spot this year. Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Ecology graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Early-career ecology graduates make about $76,132. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes New York University one of the best values for ecology. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the ecology program here. Ecology graduates of New York University earn a median of $41,024 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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.