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2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major

542 Ranked Colleges
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Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 9,899 people earned their degree in environmental studies, making the major the 87th most popular in the United States.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 542 colleges that offer a degree in environmental studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular environmental studies programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Environmental Studies Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major”.

1

Out of the 542 schools in the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #1 spot on the list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 377 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 Environmental Studies at UCSB

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 359 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full University of California - Berkeley Environmental Studies Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Colorado Boulder. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 268 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Cruz. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 192 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of California - Santa Cruz

5
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 542 schools in the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #5 spot on the list. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 234 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 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.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Harvard University

6

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 204 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Arizona State University - Tempe

7

University of Phoenix - Arizona came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. UOPX - Arizona is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 142 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UOPX - Arizona

7

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 142 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Environmental Studies at U-M

9
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 129 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Yale

10
UVM crest
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

University of Vermont landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. UVM is located in Burlington, Vermont and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 128 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full UVM Environmental Studies Report

11

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking, coming in at #11. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 338 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UW - Madison

12
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Western Washington University is located in Bellingham, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 120 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at WWU

13

University of Central Florida ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 101 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at UCF

14
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #14, University of Utah did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. U of U is a large public school situated in Salt Lake City, Utah. It awarded 98 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at U of U

15
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #15, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 97 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Appalachian State

16

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. This large school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 95 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

17

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. ASU - Skysong is a large school located in Scottsdale, Arizona that handed out 94 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full ASU - Skysong Environmental Studies Report

18
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

Binghamton University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Binghamton University is a fairly large public school situated in Vestal, New York. It awarded 84 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Binghamton University

18
Columbia Southern University crest
Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, Alabama

Columbia Southern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking, coming in at #18. Columbia Southern University is a fairly large school located in Orange Beach, Alabama that handed out 106 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Columbia Southern University

20

University of California - San Diego landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 83 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 full report on Environmental Studies at UCSD

20
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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 89%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at SDSU

22
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking, coming in at #22. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 82 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 full report on Environmental Studies at UPenn

23

University of California - Davis came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 80 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Environmental Studies at University of California - Davis

23
Stockton State crest
Stockton University
Galloway, New Jersey

Stockton University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in Galloway, New Jersey, this medium-sized public school handed out 80 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Stockton State

25

Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in Richmond, Virginia, this large public school handed out 75 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Virginia Commonwealth University Environmental Studies Report

25

With a ranking of #25, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 75 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Environmental Studies Report

Rest of the Best 49 in Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
28
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
28
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
30
Western crest
Western Colorado University
Gunnison, Colorado
31
32
Eckerd crest
Eckerd College
Saint Petersburg, Florida
32
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
34
34
36
36
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
36
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
39
39
41
42
43
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts
43
43
46
SMCM crest
St Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, Maryland
47
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
47
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona
49
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
49

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Ecosystem Studies Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51American UniversityWashington, DC
51George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
51University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
54Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY
55San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA
56Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH
56University of ChicagoChicago, IL
56Southern Oregon UniversityAshland, OR
59University of California - IrvineIrvine, CA
60University of IowaIowa City, IA
61University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT
61The University of MontanaMissoula, MT
63Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
63University of Virginia - Main CampusCharlottesville, VA
63Webster UniversitySaint Louis, MO
RankCollegeLocation
63Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA
63University of Nebraska - LincolnLincoln, NE
63Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA
69Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY
69University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA
69Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS
72Rutgers University - New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ
72Kent State University at KentKent, OH
72Hobart and William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY
72St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
76Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA
76University of Minnesota - DuluthDuluth, MN
78Utah State UniversityLogan, UT
78Prescott CollegePrescott, AZ
78The University of TampaTampa, FL
78Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL
78Wesleyan UniversityMiddletown, CT
78University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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