2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in Virginia
[Sustainability Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value sustainability science schools.
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2026 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sustainability science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sustainability Science Schools
George Mason University tops our 2026 list of the best value sustainability science schools in Virginia. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Sustainability Science graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sustainability science degree recipients from George Mason University generally make around $39,329. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Virginia Main Campus earned it the #2 place for sustainability science. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $23,118, while out-of-state students pay about $61,591. Students borrow a median of $18,627 to complete the sustainability science program here. Early-career sustainability science graduates make about $69,126. That is a strong return on a $18,627 median debt. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in sustainability science, landing the #3 spot this year. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the sustainability science program here. Soon after graduation, sustainability science degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $60,004. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 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.
