2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in New York
[Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong environmental engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for environmental engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the environmental engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Cuny City College the best value for a degree in environmental engineering in New York. Set in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,340, with out-of-state students paying around $15,290. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $13,389. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Cuny City College generally make around $62,945. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cuny City College admits about 60% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in environmental engineering will find it at Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Syracuse, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,303, compared with $22,263 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $55,763 ten years out. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Students looking for strong value in environmental engineering will find it at Columbia University In The City Of New York, which ranked #3. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,517. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Environmental Engineering graduates of Columbia University In The City Of New York earn a median of $86,770 early in their careers. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
University At Buffalo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in environmental engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Environmental Engineering graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $57,098 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Manhattan College one of the best values for environmental engineering. Located in the city of Riverdale, Manhattan College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,400. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,968 in student loans. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Manhattan College generally make around $61,065. Set against $25,968 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Manhattan College admits about 79% of applicants.
Clarkson University landed the #6 spot for environmental engineering value this year. Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Potsdam. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,398. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $67,308. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $69,314. Students borrow a median of $13,102 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $69,558. That is a strong return on a $13,102 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #8 for value in environmental engineering this year. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,078. Students borrow a median of $24,975 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Environmental Engineering graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of $77,378 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,975 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Syracuse University landed the #9 spot for environmental engineering value this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,528. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,130 in student loans. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $49,297. That is a strong return on a $26,130 median debt. Syracuse University admits about 46% of applicants.
More Environmental Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
