2026 Best Value Forest Resources Production & Management Bachelor’s Degree Schools

[Forest Resources Production & Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/forestry/forest-resources-production-and-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong forest resources production & management education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value forest resources production & management schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Forest Resources Production & Management Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in forest resources production & management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Forest Resources Production & Management Schools
University Of Maine tops our 2026 list of the best value forest resources production & management schools in the United States. University Of Maine is a large public school located in the suburb of Orono. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,326, while out-of-state students pay about $36,756. Forest Resources Production & Management graduates carry a median of $23,618 in student loans. Early-career forest resources production & management graduates make about $47,975. Set against $23,618 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maine admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University one of the best values for forest resources production & management. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Typical student debt for forest resources production & management graduates is $20,919. Early-career forest resources production & management graduates make about $45,817. That is a strong return on a $20,919 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in forest resources production & management will find it at Auburn University, which ranked #3. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. In-state tuition and fees average $12,890, with out-of-state students paying around $34,922. Typical student debt for forest resources production & management graduates is $20,500. Forest Resources Production & Management graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $51,421 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Other Forest Resources Production & Management Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Forest Resources Production & Management rankings across degree levels:
View All Forest Resources Production & Management Rankings >
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 · 9 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.