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2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in North Carolina

[Sustainability Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for sustainability science students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in North Carolina

2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in North Carolina

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sustainability science, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Sustainability Science Schools

1

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte
Charlotte, NC

$7,239 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,673 Avg Student Debt

$57,289 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, our #1 best value for sustainability science in North Carolina. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Students borrow a median of $24,673 to complete the sustainability science program here. Early-career sustainability science graduates make about $51,799. That is a strong return on a $24,673 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte admits about 80% of applicants.

2

Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC

$67,642 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,577 Avg Student Debt

$78,158 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Wake Forest University one of the best values for sustainability science. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,642. Typical student debt for sustainability science graduates is $21,577. Sustainability Science graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median of $67,369 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wake Forest University admits about 22% of applicants.

View All Sustainability Science Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 8 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.