2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in California
[Sustainability Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/sustainability-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for sustainability studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the sustainability studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools
Stanford University tops our 2026 list of the best value sustainability studies schools in California. Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Stanford. Students from in state pay about $65,910 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $10,492. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $100,827. That is a strong return on a $10,492 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
University Of California Riverside came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value sustainability studies schools. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,636 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $46,524. Students borrow a median of $20,045 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from University Of California Riverside generally make around $30,698. That is a strong return on a $20,045 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value sustainability studies schools. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $14,238. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $75,703. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. 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.
