2027 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/natural-resource-recreation-and-tourism/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong natural resource recreation & tourism education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural resource recreation & tourism students.
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2027 Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in natural resource recreation & tourism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism Schools
University Of Wyoming tops our 2027 list of the best value natural resource recreation & tourism schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. University Of Wyoming is a large public school located in the town of Laramie. In-state tuition and fees average $7,768, with out-of-state students paying around $24,178. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $20,283. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates of University Of Wyoming earn a median of $49,890 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,283 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Montana one of the best values for natural resource recreation & tourism. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,552, while out-of-state students pay about $33,671. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $24,342. Early-career natural resource recreation & tourism graduates make about $42,654. That is a strong return on a $24,342 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado State University Fort Collins is a great value for students pursuing a degree in natural resource recreation & tourism, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Typical student debt for natural resource recreation & tourism graduates is $22,843. Natural Resource Recreation & Tourism graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $43,262 early in their careers. Set against $22,843 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 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.
