2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in the New England Region

[Sustainability Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/sustainability-studies/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 27 schools to find the best return on investment for sustainability studies students.
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2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in the New England Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sustainability studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools
Harvard University earned the #1 spot for value among sustainability studies schools in the New England Region. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,676. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $16,616. Sustainability Studies graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Harvard University admits about 4% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Unity College one of the best values for sustainability studies. Located in the rural area of New Gloucester, Unity College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,640. Sustainability Studies graduates carry a median of $27,083 in student loans. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $36,144. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Vermont is a great value for students pursuing a degree in sustainability studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Burlington, University Of Vermont is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $19,058, while out-of-state students pay about $45,502. Students borrow a median of $22,607 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $44,588. Set against $22,607 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Vermont admits about 65% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned it the #4 place for sustainability studies. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public school located in the city of Amherst. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,772, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $53,543. That is a strong return on a $25,234 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Tufts University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value sustainability studies schools. Set in the suburb of Medford, Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,704. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $17,074. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $68,154. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Rhode Island School Of Design landed the #6 spot for sustainability studies value this year. Located in the city of Providence, Rhode Island School Of Design is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,688 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for sustainability studies graduates is $26,943. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from Rhode Island School Of Design generally make around $29,894. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rhode Island School Of Design admits about 19% of applicants.
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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 · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.