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2023 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k)

267 Ranked Colleges
30,503 Degrees Awarded
$5,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Natural Resources & Conservation is the 25th most popular major in the country with 30,503 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, natural resources and conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,158 and had an average of $23,267 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 267 colleges that offered a degree in natural resources and conservation. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality natural resources and conservation 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 natural resources and conservation program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 195 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Duke also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $371 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Duke

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 150 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $961 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Yale.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Yale

3
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 258 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, Harvard has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $2,564 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Harvard

4
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brown University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 32 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, Brown has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,468 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brown.

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 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Brown

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 312 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $2,670 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

6
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Waterville, Maine, and it awarded 46 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Colby, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colby is $2,648 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Natural Resources & Conservation at Colby

7

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 154 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $3,753 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 UNC Chapel Hill Natural Resources & Conservation Report

8

University of California - Berkeley ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 616 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $8,450 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of California - Berkeley

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 491 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $3,981 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Madison

10
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

With a ranking of #10, University of Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 287 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UF also did well on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $65 for natural resources & conservation 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UF Natural Resources & Conservation Report

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Cornell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ithaca, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $5,244 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cornell University.

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. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Cornell University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

11
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. North Carolina State University is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 333 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $7,283 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.0% 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%.

Full NC State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

13

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 83 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Columbia also took the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $9,873 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 95%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Columbia Natural Resources & Conservation Report

14

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 245 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW Seattle has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $5,194 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

15
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 107 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington excels when it comes to natural resources and conservation quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full IU Bloomington Natural Resources & Conservation Report

16
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #16, Tufts University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts University is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 51 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Tufts excels when it comes to natural resources and conservation quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,122 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tufts.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Tufts University

17

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 237 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #22 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $7,698 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UMN Twin Cities

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 155 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $4,950 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.8% 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%.

Full Florida State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

19

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Arizona State University - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 221 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe excels when it comes to natural resources and conservation quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Tempe is $8,969 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 more about Natural Resources & Conservation at ASU - Tempe

20
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #20, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 141 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $12,476 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Virginia.

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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Virginia

21

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 101 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $9,037 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCLA.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Natural Resources & Conservation at University of California - Los Angeles

22
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston College is located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

Boston College excels when it comes to natural resources and conservation quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $10,212 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston College.

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 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%.

Full Boston College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

23

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 87 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $4,858 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full UIUC Natural Resources & Conservation Report

24

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 370 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also took the #15 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $10,006 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full UC Davis Natural Resources & Conservation Report

25
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 196 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,927 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State.

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 Natural Resources & Conservation Report

Rest of the Best 41 in Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 41 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana
27
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
28
29
30
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
31
32
Bates crest
Bates College
Lewiston, Maine
33
34
35
36
Maritime crest
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
37
38
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
39
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia
40
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
41

Notes and References

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