2026 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools in the Far Western Region
[Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/water-wetlands-and-marine-resources-management/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for water, wetlands, & marine resources management students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the water, wetlands, & marine resources management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools
Leading the list is Skagit Valley College, our #1 best value for water, wetlands, & marine resources management in the Far Western Region. Skagit Valley College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Mount Vernon. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,400, compared with $7,410 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates is $14,056. Soon after graduation, water, wetlands, & marine resources management degree recipients from Skagit Valley College generally make around $44,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Green River Community College earned it the #2 place for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. Green River Community College is a large public school located in the city of Auburn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,711, while out-of-state students pay about $5,263. Median earnings reach $50,712 ten years out.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oregon State University earned it the #3 place for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,400, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Typical student debt for water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates is $34,429. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $48,349 early in their careers. Set against $34,429 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
