2026 Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development Schools
[L& Use Planning & Management/Development](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/land-use-planning-and-management-development/) 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 17 schools to find the best return on investment for l& use planning & management/development students.
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Finding the Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development School for You
The l& use planning & management/development program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. That is why we built our Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Learn more about our methodology
Customize Your Rankings
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
2026 Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the l& use planning & management/development degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value L& Use Planning & Management/Development Schools
University Of Wyoming earned the #1 spot for value among l& use planning & management/development schools in the United States. Set in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,768, with out-of-state students paying around $24,178. Typical student debt for l& use planning & management/development graduates is $20,283. Early-career l& use planning & management/development graduates make about $49,890. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes West Virginia University one of the best values for l& use planning & management/development. Set in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,104, while out-of-state students pay about $28,608. Typical student debt for l& use planning & management/development graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, l& use planning & management/development degree recipients from West Virginia University generally make around $47,232. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in l& use planning & management/development will find it at University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point, which ranked #3. University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Stevens Point. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,228, compared with $18,248 for out-of-state students. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates carry a median of $22,132 in student loans. Early-career l& use planning & management/development graduates make about $41,256. That is a strong return on a $22,132 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
Students looking for strong value in l& use planning & management/development will find it at Metropolitan State College Of Denver, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,124, with out-of-state students paying around $30,684. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates carry a median of $27,484 in student loans. Soon after graduation, l& use planning & management/development degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $44,861. That is a strong return on a $27,484 median debt. Metropolitan State College Of Denver admits about 99% of applicants.
University Of Maryland College Park came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value l& use planning & management/development schools. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,836 to complete the l& use planning & management/development program here. Soon after graduation, l& use planning & management/development degree recipients from University Of Maryland College Park generally make around $57,901. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
Glenville State College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value l& use planning & management/development schools. Set in the rural area of Glenville, Glenville State College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,578 in tuition and fees, compared with $11,354 for out-of-state students. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, l& use planning & management/development degree recipients from Glenville State College generally make around $42,490. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Texas Tech University landed the #7 spot for l& use planning & management/development value this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Students borrow a median of $24,271 to complete the l& use planning & management/development program here. Soon after graduation, l& use planning & management/development degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $50,332. Set against $24,271 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #8 for value in l& use planning & management/development this year. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,373 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates carry a median of $22,843 in student loans. Early-career l& use planning & management/development graduates make about $43,262. Set against $22,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Everglades University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value l& use planning & management/development schools. Located in the city of Boca Raton, Everglades University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,680. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates carry a median of $47,000 in student loans. L& Use Planning & Management/development graduates of Everglades University earn a median of $41,859 early in their careers. Set against $47,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Everglades University admits about 82% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 17 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.
