2026 Best Value Forestry Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Forestry](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/forestry/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong forestry education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value forestry schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Forestry Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the forestry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Forestry Schools
For return on investment in forestry, no school beat University Of Idaho this year. Set in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,084, with out-of-state students paying around $28,320. Students borrow a median of $18,000 to complete the forestry program here. Soon after graduation, forestry degree recipients from University Of Idaho generally make around $47,399. That is a strong return on a $18,000 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Montana earned it the #2 place for forestry. Set in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, while out-of-state students pay about $33,671. Forestry graduates carry a median of $24,342 in student loans. Early-career forestry graduates make about $31,138. Set against $24,342 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #3 place for forestry. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. Students from in state pay about $13,373 in tuition and fees, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Forestry graduates carry a median of $24,200 in student loans. Early-career forestry graduates make about $37,539. That is a strong return on a $24,200 median debt. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 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.
