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2027 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the Southeast Region

[Outdoor Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/outdoor-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong outdoor education education at a price that pays off.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for outdoor education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the Southeast Region

2027 Best Value Outdoor Education Schools in the Southeast Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in outdoor education, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Outdoor Education Schools

1

Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC

$4,630 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,174 Avg Student Debt

$49,458 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Western Carolina University, our #1 best value for outdoor education in the Southeast Region. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Typical student debt for outdoor education graduates is $24,174. Outdoor Education graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median of $44,926 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,174 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.

2

Young Harris College
Young Harris, GA

$32,305 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,689 Avg Student Debt

$47,195 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Young Harris College earned it the #2 place for outdoor education. Young Harris College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Young Harris. In-state tuition and fees average $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%.

View All Outdoor Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.