2026 Best Value Environmental Design Doctoral Degree Schools
Looking for the best-value Environmental Design doctoral degree programs in the United States? We have ranked 65 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Our scores reflect factors such as tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the strongest return on investment.
So you can compare your options, Grad Degree evaluated schools to compile this 2026 value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Best-Value Environmental Design Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these high-value schools below:
For return on investment, no school beat North Carolina State University At Raleigh this year in the United States. Based in Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,759 to complete their Environmental Design program here. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $68,758. That is a strong return on a $25,759 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%. Get the full North Carolina State University At Raleigh report
Out of the 65 schools in the United States in this year's value ranking, Clemson University landed the #2 spot. Set in Clemson, SC, Clemson University is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,554 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $23,783 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $71,513. That is a strong return on a $23,783 median debt. About 38% of those who apply are admitted. Get the full Clemson University report
A rank of #3 makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University one of the best values in the United States. Located in Blacksburg, VA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. The median Environmental Design program debt is $23,393. Median earnings reach $81,698 ten years out. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. About 55% of those who apply are admitted. More on Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University
A rank of #4 makes Texas Tech University one of the best values in the United States. Set in Lubbock, TX, Texas Tech University is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $24,271 in student loans. Median earnings reach $62,454 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $24,271 median debt. Texas Tech University has an acceptance rate of 73%. Read more about Texas Tech University
Out of the 65 schools in the United States in this year's value ranking, University Of Virginia Main Campus landed the #5 spot. Based in Charlottesville, VA, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $23,118, compared with $61,591 for out-of-state students. The median Environmental Design program debt is $18,627. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $86,863. That is a strong return on a $18,627 median debt. Roughly 17% of applicants are accepted. Read the full report on University Of Virginia Main Campus
University Of Georgia placed #6 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. University Of Georgia is a public school based in Athens, GA. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, compared with $31,688 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $21,792 in student loans. Median earnings reach $68,726 ten years out. Set against $21,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. About 38% of those who apply are admitted. See the full University Of Georgia profile
University Of Colorado Denver ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. University Of Colorado Denver is a public school based in Denver, CO. In-state tuition and fees average $10,383, while out-of-state students pay about $29,391. University Of Colorado Denver Environmental Design students take on a median of $26,582 in debt. Median earnings reach $64,270 ten years out. Set against $26,582 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted. Read more about University Of Colorado Denver
University Of Southern California placed #8 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Read more about University Of Southern California
Delaware Valley College offered strong value this year, earning the #9 position. Read more about Delaware Valley College
Kent State University At Kent offered strong value this year, earning the #10 position. Read more about Kent State University At Kent
Ball State University offered strong value this year, earning the #11 position. Read the full report on Ball State University
Iowa State University offered strong value this year, earning the #12 position. Get the full Iowa State University report
Portland Community College came in at #13 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Portland Community College
Union County College landed the #14 spot for value in the United States this year. See the full Union County College profile
University Of Missouri Columbia placed #15 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Get the full University Of Missouri Columbia report
Northeastern University offered strong value this year, earning the #16 position. See the full Northeastern University profile
Stony Brook University ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. Read more about Stony Brook University
University Of Oregon placed #18 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. More on University Of Oregon
Michigan State University came in at #19 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Michigan State University
The University Of Texas At San Antonio ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. Read the full report on The University Of Texas At San Antonio
Central New Mexico Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #21 position. Get the full Central New Mexico Community College report
Otis College Of Art And Design came in at #22 in this year's value ranking. Get the full Otis College Of Art And Design report
University Of Miami landed the #23 spot for value in the United States this year. Read more about University Of Miami
University Of South Florida Main Campus offered strong value this year, earning the #24 position. Read more about University Of South Florida Main Campus
University Of Colorado Boulder came in at #25 in this year's value ranking. Read more about University Of Colorado Boulder
Rest of the Top 50 Best-Value Environmental Design Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s value ranking:
The University Of Texas At Arlington came in at #26 in this year's value ranking. Read the full report on The University Of Texas At Arlington
Texas A And M University College Station landed the #27 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Texas A And M University College Station
Carnegie Mellon University placed #28 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Read more about Carnegie Mellon University
Nhti Concords Community College landed the #29 spot for value in the United States this year. More on Nhti Concords Community College
Portland State University ranked #30 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. Read the full report on Portland State University
University Of New Mexico Gallup Campus came in at #31 in this year's value ranking. Get the full University Of New Mexico Gallup Campus report
University Of Pennsylvania placed #32 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. More on University Of Pennsylvania
Bennington College came in at #33 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Bennington College
Lawrence Technological University came in at #34 in this year's value ranking. See the full Lawrence Technological University profile
Miami University Oxford offered strong value this year, earning the #35 position. Get the full Miami University Oxford report
The University Of Texas At Austin ranked #36 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. Read more about The University Of Texas At Austin
East Carolina University offered strong value this year, earning the #37 position. See the full East Carolina University profile
Maryland Institute College Of Art came in at #38 in this year's value ranking. Read more about Maryland Institute College Of Art
Hampshire College landed the #39 spot for value in the United States this year. Read the full report on Hampshire College
Cornish College Of The Arts offered strong value this year, earning the #40 position. Read more about Cornish College Of The Arts
Bowling Green State University Main Campus landed the #41 spot for value in the United States this year. Get the full Bowling Green State University Main Campus report
Cornell University offered strong value this year, earning the #42 position. Get the full Cornell University report
University Of Memphis placed #43 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Read the full report on University Of Memphis
Auburn University offered strong value this year, earning the #44 position. Read more about Auburn University
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities offered strong value this year, earning the #45 position. Read the full report on University Of Minnesota Twin Cities
Rutgers University New Brunswick placed #46 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Read more about Rutgers University New Brunswick
University Of New Mexico Main Campus ranked #47 on our 2026 list of the best-value Environmental Design schools. Read more about University Of New Mexico Main Campus
Lee College
Lee College offered strong value this year, earning the #48 position. Read more about Lee College
University Of Hawaii At Manoa offered strong value this year, earning the #49 position. Get the full University Of Hawaii At Manoa report
Arizona State University placed #50 among the best-value Environmental Design schools in the United States. Read the full report on Arizona State University
Related Environmental Design Value Rankings
See value rankings for other degree levels:
- Best Value Environmental Design Schools (All Levels)
- Best Value Environmental Design Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Environmental Design Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Environmental Design Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Environmental Design Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Value Environmental Design Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Value Environmental Design Master’s Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Grad Degree (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Rankings consider 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 · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 65 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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