2026 Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation Schools
[Historic Preservation & Conservation](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/historic-preservation/historic-preservation-and-conservation/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong historic preservation & conservation education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 51 schools to find the best return on investment for historic preservation & conservation students.
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Finding the Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation School for You
The right historic preservation & conservation school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
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We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation 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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2026 Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the historic preservation & conservation degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Historic Preservation & Conservation Schools
University Of Georgia earned the #1 spot for value among historic preservation & conservation schools in the United States. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $31,688. Typical student debt for historic preservation & conservation graduates is $21,792. Early-career historic preservation & conservation graduates make about $49,925. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Georgia admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of Delaware is a great value for students pursuing a degree in historic preservation & conservation, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Delaware is a very large public school located in the suburb of Newark. Students from in state pay about $16,810 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,861 to complete the historic preservation & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, historic preservation & conservation degree recipients from University Of Delaware generally make around $54,155. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Kentucky earned it the #3 place for historic preservation & conservation. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Typical student debt for historic preservation & conservation graduates is $24,094. Early-career historic preservation & conservation graduates make about $49,568. Set against $24,094 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeast Missouri State University earned it the #4 place for historic preservation & conservation. Set in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. Students borrow a median of $23,289 to complete the historic preservation & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, historic preservation & conservation degree recipients from Southeast Missouri State University generally make around $43,255. Set against $23,289 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at College Of Charleston earned it the #5 place for historic preservation & conservation. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,978 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for historic preservation & conservation graduates is $22,375. Historic Preservation & Conservation graduates of College Of Charleston earn a median of $35,326 early in their careers. Set against $22,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #6 position for value in historic preservation & conservation this year. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $70,517. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete the historic preservation & conservation program here. Early-career historic preservation & conservation graduates make about $53,920. 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.
Clemson University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value historic preservation & conservation schools. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Typical student debt for historic preservation & conservation graduates is $23,783. Historic Preservation & Conservation graduates of Clemson University earn a median of $53,834 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,783 median debt. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Mary Washington ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value historic preservation & conservation schools. Located in the suburb of Fredericksburg, University Of Mary Washington is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $14,905 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,083. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the historic preservation & conservation program here. Early-career historic preservation & conservation graduates make about $43,243. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 51 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
