2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Natural Resources & Conservation is the 26th most popular major in the country with 30,341 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, natural resources and conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,196 and had an average of $25,077 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 631 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,920 and $23,093 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 91 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 5 colleges that offer a degree in natural resources and conservation. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great natural resources and conservation programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the natural resources and conservation program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

The natural resources & conservation school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 5 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

#1 in overall quality

$61,548 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Chicago

#2

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, Illinois

#2 in overall quality

$30,083 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #2 spot on the list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#3

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

#3 in overall quality

$16,757 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

UIS not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Springfield are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UIS

#4

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, Illinois

#4 in overall quality

$32,928 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #4 spot on the list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 14 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also took the #4 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SIUC are $32,928.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#5

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

$19,760 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, DePaul University landed the #5 spot on the list. DePaul University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

DePaul also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full DePaul Natural Resources & Conservation Report

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $0-$30k)

Notes and References

References

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Lynn Betts.

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