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2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in North Carolina

[Sustainability Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/sustainability-science/sustainability-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for sustainability studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in North Carolina

2026 Best Value Sustainability Studies Schools in North Carolina

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

Best Value Sustainability Studies 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)

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned the #1 spot for value among sustainability studies schools in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,673 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Early-career sustainability studies graduates make about $51,799. Set against $24,673 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.

2

Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC

$67,642 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,577 Avg Student Debt

$78,158 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in sustainability studies will find it at Wake Forest University, which ranked #2. 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. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the sustainability studies program here. Soon after graduation, sustainability studies degree recipients from Wake Forest University generally make around $67,369. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 22%.

View All Sustainability Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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.