2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in California
[Sustainability Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong sustainability science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for sustainability science students.
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2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sustainability science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sustainability Science Schools
Our analysis ranked Stanford University the best value for a degree in sustainability science in California. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,910. Students borrow a median of $10,492 to complete the sustainability science program here. Sustainability Science graduates of Stanford University earn a median of $100,827 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Stanford University admits about 4% of applicants.
University Of California Riverside came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value sustainability science schools. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,636, compared with $46,524 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,045 to complete the sustainability science program here. Soon after graduation, sustainability science degree recipients from University Of California Riverside generally make around $30,698. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Riverside admits about 76% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of California Berkeley one of the best values for sustainability science. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sustainability science graduates is $14,238. Sustainability Science graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $75,703 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
