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2023 Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Colleges for Veterans

192 Ranked Colleges
7,247 Degrees Awarded
$35,600 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology

With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology” ranking, we looked at 192 colleges that offer a degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great ecology, evolution and systematics biology programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the ecology, evolution and systematics biology program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Ecology Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology”.

Top 26 Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 143 students in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 570 of the 47,907 students enrolled at U-M were GI Bill® students, of which 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 30,092 students enrolled at UNC Chapel Hill, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national 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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill Veteran Student Life Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology. This large school is located in College Station, Texas, and it awarded 185 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, Texas A&M College Station has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,925. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Texas A&M College Station does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Texas A&M University - College Station]](/colleges/texas-a-and-m-university-college-station/student-life/veterans/)

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 41 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

UF also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 53,372 students enrolled at UF, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UF]](/colleges/university-of-florida/student-life/veterans/)

5
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Out of the 192 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1,311 of the 46,287 students enrolled at University of Southern California were GI Bill® students, of which 862 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,487. To help with additional expenses, 388 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Southern California offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full USC Veteran Student Life Report

6

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 18 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Ohio State supports 61,369 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report

7

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 146 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1,283 of the 48,149 students enrolled at University of Washington - Seattle Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 769 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,190. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

8

With a ranking of #8, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 10 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 74,795 students enrolled at ASU - Tempe, 7,566 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3,828 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,068. To help with additional expenses, 672 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full ASU - Tempe Veteran Student Life Report

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 89 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities supports 52,017 students, and 752 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 436 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/student-life/veterans/)

10
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

William & Mary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 8,939 students enrolled at William & Mary, 531 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 349 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,978. On top of their other funding sources, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. William & Mary offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 93%.

Full William & Mary Veteran Student Life Report

11
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 17 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 26,744 students enrolled at University of Kansas, 70 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,917. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at KU]](/colleges/university-of-kansas/student-life/veterans/)

12
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, Brown has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 9,948 students enrolled at Brown University, 98 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,111. To help with additional expenses, 40 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read More…

13
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. University of Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 14 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%.

Full Iowa Veteran Student Life Report

14

University of Hawaii at Manoa landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. UH Manoa is a public institution located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 54 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, UH Manoa has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UH Manoa supports 18,025 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $22,153. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UH Manoa offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

15

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, UW - Madison supports 44,640 students, and 4 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read More…

16

With a ranking of #16, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus is a large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 94 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

CU Anschutz also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 24,723 students enrolled at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

17
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #17, George Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 86 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying ecology list, GWU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 27,017 students enrolled at GWU, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,185. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at George Washington University]](/colleges/george-washington-university/student-life/veterans/)

18

Colorado State University - Fort Collins came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. This large school is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, and it awarded 121 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

Colorado State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 32,428 students enrolled at Colorado State, 1,606 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,183 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,701. On top of their other funding sources, 68 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 85%.

Full Colorado State University - Fort Collins Veteran Student Life Report

19
U Miami crest
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida

University of Miami landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. University of Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 148 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

U Miami also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 17,809 students enrolled at University of Miami, 4 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $22,198. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Miami]](/colleges/university-of-miami/student-life/veterans/)

20
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania ranked #20 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UPenn, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 26,552 students enrolled at University of Pennsylvania, 324 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 131 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,383. During this same period, 78 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Pennsylvania]](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania/student-life/veterans/)

21
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #21, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Cornell University supports 23,620 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 2 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,780. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Cornell University]](/colleges/cornell-university/student-life/veterans/)

22

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking, coming in at #22. University of Colorado Boulder is a large school located in Boulder, Colorado that handed out 238 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

CU - Boulder not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 37,437 students enrolled at CU - Boulder, 1,379 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 968 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,889. To help with additional expenses, 46 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at CU - Boulder]](/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder/student-life/veterans/)

23
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

UA also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 37,840 students enrolled at UA, 2,081 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,975. During this same period, 357 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

24

University of California - San Diego ranked #24 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 157 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 39,576 students enrolled at UCSD, 112 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 54 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $1,596. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 full report on veteran student life at University of California - San Diego]](/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego/student-life/veterans/)

25

Iowa State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology ranking. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecology degrees to 92 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 814 of the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University were GI Bill® students, of which 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State University Veteran Student Life Report

25

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #25 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology list. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 81 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMCP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 16 of the 40,709 students enrolled at University of Maryland - College Park were GI Bill® students, of which 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $1,716. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Maryland - College Park offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UMCP Veteran Student Life Report

Rest of the Best 28 in Most Veteran Friendly for Ecology

Not only did these schools make the top 28 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
28
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
29
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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