2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in Florida
[Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for environmental engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in Florida
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in environmental engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools
Leading the list is University Of Florida, our #1 best value for environmental engineering in Florida. Set in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,381, compared with $28,659 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $23,000. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Florida generally make around $72,288. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Florida admits about 24% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in environmental engineering will find it at Florida International University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Miami, Florida International University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,565 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,964. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,349 in student loans. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $64,541. Set against $19,349 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Florida International University admits about 55% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of South Florida Main Campus one of the best values for environmental engineering. Located in the city of Tampa, University Of South Florida Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,410, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,829 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of South Florida Main Campus generally make around $52,885. That is a strong return on a $21,829 median debt. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida Gulf Coast University earned it the #4 place for environmental engineering. Set in the suburb of Fort Myers, Florida Gulf Coast University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,118, compared with $25,162 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $19,929. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $60,797. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 63%.
University Of Central Florida is a great value for students pursuing a degree in environmental engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Orlando, University Of Central Florida is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,368, with out-of-state students paying around $22,467. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $24,596. Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of Central Florida earn a median of $56,443 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Central Florida admits about 40% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
