2027 Best Outdoor Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools
Outdoor Education is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for outdoor education students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Outdoor Education in the United States
These are the top schools for a bachelor’s degree in outdoor education, based on student outcomes and program quality.
Top Schools in Outdoor Education
No school ranked higher than Fort Lewis College this year for outdoor education. Located in the town of Durango, Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public university. The six-year graduation rate is 36%. Fort Lewis College awarded about 13 outdoor education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the outdoor education program make about $25,514 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,888 to complete this degree.
Read more about the outdoor education program at Fort Lewis College
Central Michigan University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best outdoor education schools. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. Central Michigan University graduates 59% of students within six years. There were roughly 10 outdoor education students who graduated with this degree at Central Michigan University in the most recent data year. Outdoor Education graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $50,688 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $27,857 to complete this degree.
Get the full outdoor education details for Central Michigan University
Students looking for a strong outdoor education program will find one at Young Harris College, which ranked #3. Set in the rural area of Young Harris, Young Harris College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Young Harris College graduates 42% of students within six years. There were roughly 10 outdoor education students who graduated with this degree at Young Harris College in the most recent data year. Young Harris College graduates carry a median of $24,689 in student loans.
See the full outdoor education program report for Young Harris College
Other Outdoor Education Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare Outdoor Education rankings across degree levels:
View All Outdoor Education Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 schools evaluated.
- 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.
