2027 Best Value Outdoor Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for outdoor education students.
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2027 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in outdoor education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Outdoor Education Schools
For return on investment in outdoor education, no school beat Fort Lewis College this year. Set in the town of Durango, Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,958, while out-of-state students pay about $21,526. Typical student debt for outdoor education graduates is $18,888. Outdoor Education graduates of Fort Lewis College earn a median of $25,514 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,888 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Central Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in outdoor education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. 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. That is a strong return on a $27,857 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Young Harris College one of the best values for outdoor education. Located in the rural area of Young Harris, Young Harris College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $32,305 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,689 to complete the outdoor education program here. Graduates go on to earn a median of $47,195 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Other Outdoor Education Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Outdoor Education rankings across degree levels:
View All Outdoor Education Rankings >
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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
