2027 Best Value Natural Resource Management Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Natural Resource Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong natural resource management education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural resource management students.
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2027 Best Value Natural Resource Management Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the natural resource management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Natural Resource Management Schools
University Of Maryland College Park tops our 2027 list of the best value natural resource management schools in the Middle Atlantic Region. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Natural Resource Management graduates carry a median of $20,836 in student loans. Natural Resource Management graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $57,901 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Students looking for strong value in natural resource management will find it at Morrisville State College, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Morrisville, Morrisville State College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,825 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,245. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the natural resource management program here. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $41,207. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Stony Brook University one of the best values for natural resource management. Located in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Typical student debt for natural resource management graduates is $20,537. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $37,701. Set against $20,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 49%.
Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resource management schools. Located in the city of Syracuse, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,303, compared with $22,263 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $55,763. Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry admits about 63% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in natural resource management will find it at Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Cobleskill, Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,768, compared with $18,678 for out-of-state students. Natural Resource Management graduates carry a median of $23,490 in student loans. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $31,793. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus placed #6 among the best values for natural resource management. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,356. Natural Resource Management graduates carry a median of $28,252 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resource management degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University World Campus generally make around $61,674. Set against $28,252 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Rutgers University New Brunswick came in at #7 for value in natural resource management this year. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,929, while out-of-state students pay about $37,441. Students borrow a median of $25,275 to complete the natural resource management program here. Natural Resource Management graduates of Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of $36,040 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,275 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resource management schools. Located in the rural area of Paul Smiths, Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,009. Natural Resource Management graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $41,863. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Lehigh University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resource management schools. Lehigh University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bethlehem. Students from in state pay about $64,980 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,008 to complete the natural resource management program here. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $70,321. Set against $23,008 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 26% of applicants are accepted.
Marist College earned the #10 position for value in natural resource management this year. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $47,620. Typical student debt for natural resource management graduates is $25,962. Early-career natural resource management graduates make about $60,521. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Marist College admits about 56% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
