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2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

54 Ranked Colleges
2,957 Degrees Awarded
$27,755 Avg Salary
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 $48-$75k” 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 $48-$75k” ranking looked at 54 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” 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 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 $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $7,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UChicago

#2 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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 130 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at U-M

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 200 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#4

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#24 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. 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 $48-$75k. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 86 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $9,654 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Purdue University - Main Campus

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 56 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $12,060 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, 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 IU Bloomington Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 201 students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,982 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#11 in overall quality

Michigan Technological University came in at #8 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 $48-$75k ranking. 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.

Michigan Tech also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $13,720 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Michigan Technological University.

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%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Michigan Tech

#9

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#8 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #9 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 $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 272 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Stevens Point has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,165 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

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

#10

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin
#18 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #10 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 $48-$75k ranking. UW - Green Bay is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 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 $48-$75k list, UW - Green Bay has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UW - Green Bay

#11

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#14 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - River Falls, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,474 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#12

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,387 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland University.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Oakland University

#13

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

Denison University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Denison is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Granville, Ohio. It awarded 25 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Denison, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Denison University.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Denison University

#14

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Menomonie, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout also took the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,235 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 UW - Stout Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#15

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 34 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees 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 NIU is $18,346 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 6 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UM Dearborn is $10,553 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

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

#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 $48-$75k list. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

UW - Whitewater also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $14,941 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Full UW - Whitewater Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#18

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Sault Ste Marie, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Lake Superior State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lake Superior State University is $13,073 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Lake Superior State University

#19

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield came in at #19 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 $48-$75k ranking. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 9 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,857 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UIS

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,314 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IUPUI.

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

#21

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Grand Valley State 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 $48-$75k list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k list, GVSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,775 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend GVSU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#22

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Augustana College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Rock Island, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 29 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

Augustana also took the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $21,453 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Augustana College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Augustana College

#23

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #23 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 $48-$75k ranking. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 26 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $15,185 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Ball State University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #24 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 $48-$75k ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 63 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,985 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full SIUC Natural Resources & Conservation Report

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,236 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Full UW Oshkosh Natural Resources & Conservation Report

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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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