2026 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Ohio
[Natural Resources & Conservation](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 58 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 Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the natural resources & conservation degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools
Youngstown State University tops our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools in Ohio. Set in the city of Youngstown, Youngstown State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,926 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,286 for out-of-state students. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $26,373 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Youngstown State University earn a median of $49,025 early in their careers. Set against $26,373 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hocking College earned it the #2 place for natural resources & conservation. Hocking College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Nelsonville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,646, with out-of-state students paying around $10,290. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $12,006. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Hocking College generally make around $27,804. That is a strong return on a $12,006 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in natural resources & conservation will find it at Cleveland State University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,982, while out-of-state students pay about $18,502. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $21,965 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Cleveland State University generally make around $40,647. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Students looking for strong value in natural resources & conservation will find it at Ohio State University Main Campus, which ranked #4. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,083 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $36,713. Set against $26,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Students looking for strong value in natural resources & conservation will find it at University Of Toledo, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Toledo, University Of Toledo is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,157 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,517 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,100 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from University Of Toledo generally make around $32,706. That is a strong return on a $21,100 median debt. University Of Toledo admits about 92% of applicants.
Wittenberg University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Located in the city of Springfield, Wittenberg University is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $45,940. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $27,000. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Wittenberg University earn a median of $40,093 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wittenberg University admits about 72% of applicants.
Ohio University Main Campus ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $24,546. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Ohio University Main Campus generally make around $49,736. That is a strong return on a $24,546 median debt. Ohio University Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
Kent State University At Kent ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Set in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,220, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $21,556 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of $34,020 early in their careers. Set against $21,556 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus placed #9 among the best values for natural resources & conservation. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,912, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Students borrow a median of $25,998 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Bowling Green State University Main Campus generally make around $24,596. That is a strong return on a $25,998 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Students borrow a median of $22,125 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $34,417. Set against $22,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Otterbein University earned the #11 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Set in the suburb of Westerville, Otterbein University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,548. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $25,850 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Otterbein University earn a median of $19,801 early in their careers. Set against $25,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Cedarville University came in at #12 for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the rural area of Cedarville, Cedarville University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $37,150. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $22,110 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Cedarville University earn a median of $57,104 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cedarville University admits about 65% of applicants.
Ohio Northern University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Ohio Northern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Ada. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,600. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $26,661. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Ohio Northern University earn a median of $56,878 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,661 median debt. Ohio Northern University admits about 74% of applicants.
The College Of Wooster placed #14 among the best values for natural resources & conservation. The College Of Wooster is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Wooster. In-state tuition and fees average $61,640. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $25,936 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of The College Of Wooster earn a median of $32,382 early in their careers. Set against $25,936 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Miami University Oxford earned the #15 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,519, compared with $38,965 for out-of-state students. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $34,708. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Kenyon College earned the #16 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the rural area of Gambier, Kenyon College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,520. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $18,114. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $37,976. That is a strong return on a $18,114 median debt. The acceptance rate is 31%.
University Of Dayton earned the #17 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dayton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $56,077 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Dayton admits about 65% of applicants.
Xavier University came in at #18 for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Set in the city of Cincinnati, Xavier University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,425. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $26,614. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $55,045. That is a strong return on a $26,614 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Denison University earned the #19 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the suburb of Granville, Denison University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,000. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $25,360. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Denison University generally make around $36,236. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted.
Oberlin College placed #20 among the best values for natural resources & conservation. Set in the town of Oberlin, Oberlin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $67,366. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Oberlin College generally make around $25,146. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 34%.
More Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 58 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
