---

2026 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Natural Sciences](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/natural-sciences/natural-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural sciences students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

2026 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the natural sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Natural Sciences Schools

1

College Of Western Idaho
Nampa, ID

$3,446 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,497 Avg Student Debt

Our analysis ranked College Of Western Idaho the best value for a degree in natural sciences in the Rocky Mountains Region. College Of Western Idaho is a very large public school located in the rural area of Nampa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,446, while out-of-state students pay about $7,454. Typical student debt for natural sciences graduates is $12,497. Early-career natural sciences graduates make about $40,963.

2

Colorado State University Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO

$13,373 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,843 Avg Student Debt

$60,543 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in natural sciences will find it at Colorado State University Fort Collins, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,373 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Typical student debt for natural sciences graduates is $22,843. Natural Sciences graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $51,693 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.

View All Natural Sciences Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.