2026 Best Value Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services Schools
[Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/natural-resources-law-enforcement-and-protective-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong natural resources law enforcement & protective services education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 27 schools to find the best return on investment for natural resources law enforcement & protective services students.
What’s on this page:
Finding the Best Value Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services School for You
Where you study natural resources law enforcement & protective services affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services 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
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services 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 Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the natural resources law enforcement & protective services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services Schools
For return on investment in natural resources law enforcement & protective services, no school beat Skagit Valley College this year. Set in the city of Mount Vernon, Skagit Valley College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,400, compared with $7,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates is $14,056. Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services graduates of Skagit Valley College earn a median of $44,860 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in natural resources law enforcement & protective services, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Hibbing, Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,022. Typical student debt for natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates is $17,029. Soon after graduation, natural resources law enforcement & protective services degree recipients from Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College generally make around $45,589. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Colorado Northwestern Community College one of the best values for natural resources law enforcement & protective services. Located in the rural area of Rangely, Colorado Northwestern Community College is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,594, while out-of-state students pay about $7,304. Students borrow a median of $18,127 to complete the natural resources law enforcement & protective services program here. Early-career natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates make about $56,978. That is a strong return on a $18,127 median debt.
Hocking College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in natural resources law enforcement & protective services, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Nelsonville, Hocking College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,646, compared with $10,290 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates is $12,000. Early-career natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates make about $27,817. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources law enforcement & protective services schools. Set in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,228 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,248. Students borrow a median of $22,132 to complete the natural resources law enforcement & protective services program here. Early-career natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates make about $40,553. That is a strong return on a $22,132 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources law enforcement & protective services schools. Located in the town of Weatherford, Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,469 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,499. Typical student debt for natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates is $20,795. Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services graduates of Southwestern Oklahoma State University earn a median of $57,280 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,795 median debt.
South Dakota State University landed the #7 spot for natural resources law enforcement & protective services value this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates is $24,989. Soon after graduation, natural resources law enforcement & protective services degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $51,260. Set against $24,989 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Tech University placed #8 among the best values for natural resources law enforcement & protective services. Texas Tech University is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock. In-state tuition and fees average $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Students borrow a median of $24,271 to complete the natural resources law enforcement & protective services program here. Early-career natural resources law enforcement & protective services graduates make about $50,332. Set against $24,271 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
Narrow Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services Schools by Region
View All Rankings >
Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Natural Resources Law Enforcement & Protective Services. Browse the parent area of study.
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 · 27 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
