2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Tennessee
[Natural Resources & Conservation](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural resources & conservation students.
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2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Tennessee
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
Our analysis ranked The University Of Tennessee Martin the best value for a degree in natural resources & conservation in Tennessee. Located in the town of Martin, The University Of Tennessee Martin is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,560, with out-of-state students paying around $16,600. Students borrow a median of $22,748 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of The University Of Tennessee Martin earn a median of $33,543 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,748 median debt. The University Of Tennessee Martin admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Tennessee Technological University earned it the #2 place for natural resources & conservation. Located in the town of Cookeville, Tennessee Technological University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,376, compared with $15,576 for out-of-state students. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $13,673 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $29,936. That is a strong return on a $13,673 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earned it the #3 place for natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Chattanooga, The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,448 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,512 for out-of-state students. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga earn a median of $34,944 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga admits about 81% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in natural resources & conservation will find it at The University Of Tennessee, which ranked #4. The University Of Tennessee is a very large public school located in the city of Knoxville. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, with out-of-state students paying around $33,256. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $27,000. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates of The University Of Tennessee earn a median of $31,428 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Sewanee The University Of The South earned it the #5 place for natural resources & conservation. Sewanee The University Of The South is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Sewanee. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,120. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $22,091 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $35,204. Set against $22,091 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Rhodes College came in at #6 for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Located in the city of Memphis, Rhodes College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $57,110. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $23,078. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $40,807. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Belmont University placed #7 among the best values for natural resources & conservation. Set in the city of Nashville, Belmont University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,540. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $23,447. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $49,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
More Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings
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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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
