2026 Best Value Natural Resources Conservation Schools in South Dakota
[Natural Resources Conservation](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resources-conservation/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for natural resources conservation students.
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2026 Best Value Natural Resources Conservation Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in natural resources conservation, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Natural Resources Conservation Schools
Leading the list is South Dakota State University, our #1 best value for natural resources conservation in South Dakota. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,989 to complete the natural resources conservation program here. Natural Resources Conservation graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $51,260 early in their careers. Set against $24,989 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
More Natural Resources Conservation Rankings
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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 · 5 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.
