2023 Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
23
Ranked Colleges
692
Degrees Awarded
$10,500
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology is the 103rd most popular major in the country with 7,247 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,579 and had an average of $23,052 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 692 ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,675 and $21,739 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent ecology, evolution and systematics biology programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the ecology, evolution and systematics biology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The ecology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 143 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $2,500 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Chicago.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at UChicago
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #4 spot on the list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at IU Bloomington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,927 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full Michigan State Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,858 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at UIUC
Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $5,995 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Purdue University - Main Campus
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $7,068 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $7,026 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
With a ranking of #10, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 7 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.
Michigan Tech also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Michigan Tech is $5,520 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Michigan Technological University
Ferris State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
Ferris also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Ferris State University is $6,577 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Ferris State University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
Central Michigan University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Central Michigan University is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 43 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $10,805 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central Michigan University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Central Michigan University
DePauw University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePauw is located in Greencastle, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k list, DePauw has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,503 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend DePauw University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at DePauw
Kent State University at Kent landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kent State University at Kent is located in Kent, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kent State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kent State is $13,793 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Kent State Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
Case Western Reserve University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.
Case Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,063 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Case Western Reserve University
Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Western Michigan University is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
WMU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $13,112 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at WMU
Franklin College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Franklin College of Indiana is a private not-for-profit institution located in Franklin, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Franklin College of Indiana also took the #14 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,958 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Franklin College of Indiana.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Franklin College
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC is $15,061 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
With a ranking of #19, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Eastern Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It awarded 5 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Eastern Michigan has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan is $12,465 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Eastern Michigan
With a ranking of #20, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 7 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for OHIO Athens is $17,614 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full OHIO Athens Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
Governors State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in University Park, Illinois, this small public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
GSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GSU is $8,629 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Governors State University
Calvin University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Calvin has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Calvin is $22,080 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Calvin University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report
With a ranking of #23, University of Dayton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 22 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UDayton has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UDayton is $19,334 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at UDayton
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Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Focused Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students getting aid in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students with family income $30-$48k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students with family income $75-$110k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students in the Great Lakes Region
Highest Paid Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Graduates in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Popular Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students with family income less than $30k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students with family income $48-$75k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology students with family income exceeding $110k in the Great Lakes Region
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
