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2023 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $30-$48k)

266 Ranked Colleges
30,503 Degrees Awarded
$6,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 266 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

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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 Those Making $30-$48k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $30-$48k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Duke University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 195 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $-927 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

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 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Duke University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 150 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Yale is $3,083 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Yale Natural Resources & Conservation Report

3
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 258 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $1,396 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The 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 full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Harvard

4

Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 83 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia is $4,699 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 about Natural Resources & Conservation at Columbia University in the City of New York

5
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Colby College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Waterville, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 46 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Colby did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Colby College is $2,361 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, 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.

Full Colby Natural Resources & Conservation Report

6

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 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.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,670 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 U-M

7
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Brown is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 32 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown is $2,842 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. 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.

Full Brown University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

8

University of California - Berkeley came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 616 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $9,999 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

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

9

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 154 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $5,729 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

10
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #10, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 40 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,718 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dartmouth College.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Dartmouth

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 119 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $5,133 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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. 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 more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Cornell University

12

University of Washington - Seattle Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW Seattle is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 245 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW Seattle is $6,399 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UW Seattle

13
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Florida is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 287 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UF is also in the top of our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $2,857 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UF.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UF

14

With a ranking of #14, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 491 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,788 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

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

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UW - Madison

15
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 107 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, IU Bloomington 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. It costs about $7,061 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Indiana University - Bloomington

16
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k 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.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Tufts is also in the top of our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Tufts is $7,987 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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 $30-$48k ranking. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 237 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $8,609 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 93%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Natural Resources & Conservation Report

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 155 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Florida State also did well on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $7,349 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State.

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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Florida State University

19
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Carolina State University is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 333 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

NC State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $9,448 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full NC State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

20

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 101 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,891 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UCLA

21
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #21, Emory University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory University is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 37 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Emory also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $8,976 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Emory University

22
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 124 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,853 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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 Purdue University - Main Campus

23

With a ranking of #23, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 221 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, ASU - Tempe also did well on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $10,628 for Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Natural Resources & Conservation at ASU - Tempe

24

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 370 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $11,598 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

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

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UC Davis

25
Maritime crest
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Maritime Academy ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Maritime is a public institution located in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $7,554 for natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York
27
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California
28
29
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
30
31
32
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
33
34
35
36
37
38
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
39
40
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

Notes and References

References

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