2026 Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in the Southeast Region

[General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology](/majors/physical-sciences/atmospheric-sciences-meteorology/atmospheric-sciences-and-meteorology-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general atmospheric sciences & meteorology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology students.
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2026 Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in the Southeast Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools
Our analysis ranked Florida State University the best value for a degree in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology in the Southeast Region. Set in the city of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,517 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,683 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates is $27,125. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of Florida State University earn a median of $39,967 early in their careers. Set against $27,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 24% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,501, while out-of-state students pay about $24,849. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $22,108 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general atmospheric sciences & meteorology degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Asheville generally make around $31,821. Set against $22,108 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Asheville admits about 92% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned it the #3 place for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology. Set in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $22,113 in student loans. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $59,622 early in their careers. Set against $22,113 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.
University Of Miami is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Miami is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Coral Gables. In-state tuition and fees average $62,616. Students borrow a median of $17,750 to complete the general atmospheric sciences & meteorology program here. Early-career general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $57,234. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 19%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach earned it the #5 place for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology. Located in the city of Daytona Beach, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,074. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach earn a median of $41,515 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach admits about 65% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.