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2023 Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region

23 Ranked Colleges
692 Degrees Awarded
$26,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 7,247 people earned their degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology, making the major the 103rd most popular in the United States. 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.

For this year’s “Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality ecology, evolution and systematics biology programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the ecology, evolution and systematics biology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 143 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,878 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

2
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #2 spot on the list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 27 ’s ecology 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 IU Bloomington is $14,619 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Indiana University - Bloomington

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 50 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,234 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

4
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,377 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Purdue.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

5

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $16,845 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Ohio State

6

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #6. IUPUI is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 4 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k list, IUPUI has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,416 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend IUPUI.

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%.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

7
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $16,007 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Central Michigan

8

Kent State University at Kent came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. This large school is located in Kent, Ohio, and it awarded 17 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

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. It costs about $19,117 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Kent State.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Kent State University at Kent

9
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #9, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $19,058 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

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

10

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 7 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Technological University is $15,384 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Michigan Technological University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

11
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

With a ranking of #11, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. Eastern Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Ypsilanti, Michigan that handed out 5 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Eastern Michigan, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,127 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Eastern Michigan University.

Full Eastern Michigan Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

12
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #12. Ferris is a fairly large school located in Big Rapids, Michigan that handed out 5 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k list, Ferris has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ferris State University is $12,213 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Ferris

13

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 4 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

14
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #14. WMU is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

WMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Michigan University is $20,371 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Full Western Michigan University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

15

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k list, UC has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC is $22,415 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

16

With a ranking of #16, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Athens, Ohio, and it awarded 7 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

OHIO Athens did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio University - Athens Campus is $23,831 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

17
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in University Park, Illinois, and it awarded 3 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,436 for great lakes region ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Governors State University.

Full Governors State University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

18
Franklin College of Indiana crest
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana

Franklin College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Located in Franklin, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Franklin College of Indiana, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Franklin College of Indiana is $20,535 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Franklin College

19
DePauw crest
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

DePauw University did quite well in the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #19. DePauw is a small school located in Greencastle, Indiana that handed out 5 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

DePauw also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $25,587 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend DePauw.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full DePauw Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

20
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 13 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $28,517 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at UChicago

21
Calvin crest
Calvin University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. This small school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 5 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

Calvin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $26,082 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Calvin University.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Calvin University

22
UDayton crest
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio

University of Dayton came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. UDayton is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 22 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UDayton, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $29,928 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend UDayton.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 UDayton

23

Case Western Reserve University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue Ecology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 19 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

Case Western also took the #6 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Case Western Reserve University is $34,214 for Great Lakes Region Ecology students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Case Western Reserve University

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