2027 Best Outdoor Education Schools in the Southeast Region
Outdoor Education is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their outdoor education programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 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 Southeast Region
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the outdoor education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Outdoor Education
Leading the list is Western Carolina University, our #1 school for outdoor education. This large public university is located in the town of Cullowhee. Roughly 60% of students complete a degree within six years here. Western Carolina University awarded about 12 outdoor education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, outdoor education degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $44,926. Western Carolina University graduates carry a median of $24,174 in student loans.
Read more about the outdoor education program at Western Carolina University
Young Harris College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in outdoor education, ranking #2. Set in the rural area of Young Harris, Young Harris College is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 42% of students finish within six years. Young Harris College awarded about 10 outdoor education degrees in the most recent data year. Typical student debt for the program is $24,689.
More information about a degree in outdoor education from Young Harris College
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 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.
