2026 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in Minnesota
[Outdoor Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/outdoor-education/outdoor-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for outdoor education students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in Minnesota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the outdoor education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Outdoor Education Schools
For return on investment in outdoor education, no school beat Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College this year. Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hibbing. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,022. Outdoor Education graduates carry a median of $17,029 in student loans. Soon after graduation, outdoor education degree recipients from Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College generally make around $44,387. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in outdoor education will find it at Minnesota State University Mankato, which ranked #2. Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public school located in the city of Mankato. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Outdoor Education graduates carry a median of $25,260 in student loans. Outdoor Education graduates of Minnesota State University Mankato earn a median of $53,088 early in their careers. Set against $25,260 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
More Outdoor Education 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 · 3 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.
