2027 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Master’s Degree Schools
[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 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for water, wetlands, & marine resources management students.
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2027 Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in water, wetlands, & marine resources management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Schools
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point tops our 2027 list of the best value water, wetlands, & marine resources management schools in the United States. Set in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,228, compared with $18,248 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,132 to complete the water, wetlands, & marine resources management program here. Soon after graduation, water, wetlands, & marine resources management degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point generally make around $40,553. Set against $22,132 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Stony Brook University one of the best values for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates carry a median of $20,537 in student loans. Early-career water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates make about $37,701. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 49%.
Oregon State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value water, wetlands, & marine resources management schools. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates carry a median of $34,429 in student loans. Early-career water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates make about $57,275. Set against $34,429 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Colorado State University Fort Collins one of the best values for water, wetlands, & marine resources management. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates carry a median of $22,843 in student loans. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management 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. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in water, wetlands, & marine resources management, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,948 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Typical student debt for water, wetlands, & marine resources management graduates is $23,393. Soon after graduation, water, wetlands, & marine resources management degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $60,004. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Miami earned the #6 position for value in water, wetlands, & marine resources management this year. University Of Miami is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Coral Gables. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,616. Students borrow a median of $17,750 to complete the water, wetlands, & marine resources management program here. Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management graduates of University Of Miami earn a median of $41,886 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 19% of applicants are accepted.
Other Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Degree Levels
Explore the best-value water, wetlands, & marine resources management schools at other degree levels:
View All Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
