2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Maryland

[Natural Resources & Conservation](/majors/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.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value natural resources & conservation schools.
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2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Maryland
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
For return on investment in natural resources & conservation, no school beat University Of Maryland College Park this year. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $19,699 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $41,152 early in their careers. Set against $19,699 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maryland Baltimore County one of the best values for natural resources & conservation. University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, while out-of-state students pay about $31,225. Students borrow a median of $21,750 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $36,804. Set against $21,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maryland Baltimore County admits about 72% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Towson University earned it the #3 place for natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Towson, Towson University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,728, with out-of-state students paying around $29,820. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $22,750. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Towson University generally make around $34,345. Set against $22,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Towson University admits about 82% of applicants.
Salisbury University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in natural resources & conservation, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,084, compared with $22,174 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,606 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of Salisbury University earn a median of $28,026 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Johns Hopkins University earned it the #5 place for natural resources & conservation. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,730. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $13,426. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $84,850. Set against $13,426 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Johns Hopkins University admits about 6% of applicants.
St Marys College Of Maryland ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Located in the rural area of St. Mary's City, St Marys College Of Maryland is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,298, while out-of-state students pay about $31,374. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $20,000 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $41,665. That is a strong return on a $20,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 69%.
University Of Maryland University College earned the #7 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,136, with out-of-state students paying around $12,336. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $10,308 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $55,545. That is a strong return on a $10,308 median debt.
Washington College placed #8 among the best values for natural resources & conservation. Set in the town of Chestertown, Washington College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,081. Students borrow a median of $26,529 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Washington College generally make around $22,324. That is a strong return on a $26,529 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.