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2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

54 Ranked Colleges
2,957 Degrees Awarded
$9,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Great Lakes region, there were 4,152 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,081 and $25,321 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,957 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 54 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 54 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 21 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $2,800 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Chicago.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

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

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 130 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $5,887 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, 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.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 200 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $6,860 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#4

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $6,192 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 54 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #5 spot on the list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 67 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,464 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#6 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 201 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ohio State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $10,037 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#24 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 86 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,879 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Purdue

#8

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#8 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and it awarded 272 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Stevens Point is $11,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan Technological University is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan Tech has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $9,049 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 86%.

Full Michigan Technological University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#14 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - River Falls has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $10,124 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
#18 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $11,641 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 17 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#13

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#10 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Stout has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Stout is $10,778 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UW - Stout

#14

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Lake Superior State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, this small public school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

Lake Superior State University also took the #16 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Superior State University is $9,640 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Lake Superior State University

#15

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 27 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $7,751 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Oakland University

#16

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Denison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Granville, Ohio, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, Denison has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Denison is $13,909 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 Natural Resources & Conservation at Denison

#17

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Whitewater, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,156 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UW - Whitewater

#18

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 63 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

GVSU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $12,459 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Grand Valley State University

#19

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $8,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UIS Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#20

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $10,487 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Ball State

#21

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,861 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full NIU Natural Resources & Conservation Report

University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UM Dearborn is $8,057 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UM Dearborn

#23

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Knox College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Knox is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 16 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Knox, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $19,186 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Knox

With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,114 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Full University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#25

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

Oberlin College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Oberlin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Oberlin also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Oberlin is $11,560 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 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 Natural Resources & Conservation at Oberlin

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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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