[Outdoor Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/outdoor-education/) 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 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for outdoor education students.
Finding the Best Value Outdoor Education School for You
The outdoor education program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Outdoor Education Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Outdoor Education Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Leading the list is Western Carolina University, our #1 best value for outdoor education in the United States. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,630 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Students borrow a median of $24,174 to complete the outdoor education program here. Early-career outdoor education graduates make about $44,926. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Fort Lewis College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in outdoor education, landing the #2 spot this year. Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Durango. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,958, while out-of-state students pay about $21,526. Students borrow a median of $18,888 to complete the outdoor education program here. Soon after graduation, outdoor education degree recipients from Fort Lewis College generally make around $25,514. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fort Lewis College admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Central Michigan University earned it the #3 place for outdoor education. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,480 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,857 to complete the outdoor education program here. Outdoor Education graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $50,688 early in their careers. Set against $27,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in outdoor education will find it at Young Harris College, which ranked #4. Young Harris College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Young Harris. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $32,305. Typical student debt for outdoor education graduates is $24,689. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $47,195. That is a strong return on a $24,689 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Prescott College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in outdoor education, landing the #5 spot this year. Prescott College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Prescott. In-state tuition and fees average $34,490. Typical student debt for outdoor education graduates is $27,230. Early-career outdoor education graduates make about $42,966. Set against $27,230 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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 5 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).
[Outdoor Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/outdoor-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
