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2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

32 Ranked Colleges
1,353 Degrees Awarded
$18,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

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 Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” 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 Plains States region, there were 1,830 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,070 and $31,094 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,353 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in natural resources and conservation. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent natural resources and conservation programs, but they also 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Valley City State University

Valley City, North Dakota
#16 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Valley City State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Valley City State University is located in Valley City, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

Valley City State University also took the #16 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Valley City State University is $13,866 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Crookston. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. UMN Crookston is located in Crookston, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

UMN Crookston did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Crookston is $13,185 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full UMN Crookston Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 170 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #2 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $19,942 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 118 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $17,228 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Iowa State

#5

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $25,505 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at WUSTL

University of Minnesota - Morris came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Minnesota - Morris is a small public school situated in Morris, Minnesota. It awarded 23 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $13,194 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Full UMN Morris Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#7

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 17 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,307 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

Full Saint Cloud State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#12 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University is $18,389 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

#17 in overall quality

University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Nebraska at Omaha is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNOMAHA, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,400 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UNOMAHA.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Nebraska at Omaha

#10

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $20,754 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Full South Dakota State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#7 in overall quality

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 84 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $19,663 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, 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 85%.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#11 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,312 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Minnesota State Mankato.

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%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Minnesota State University - Mankato

#13

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

With a ranking of #13, Missouri Western State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Missouri Western is a small school located in Saint Joseph, Missouri that handed out 11 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,235 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Missouri Western State University.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Missouri Western

With a ranking of #14, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,385 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwest Missouri State University.

Full Northwest Missouri State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#18 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also took the #18 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $19,042 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri State, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,298 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Missouri State.

Full Missouri State University - Springfield Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#17

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #17. Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,985 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Southeast Missouri State University

#18

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#8 in overall quality

St Olaf College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. St Olaf College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 23 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, St. Olaf has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St Olaf College is $22,977 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, 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 St Olaf College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#19

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also took the #13 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $20,738 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Iowa

#20

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#20 in overall quality

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Kansas State University is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 47 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State also took the #20 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $19,892 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Kansas State University

#21

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City is $17,241 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UMKC

#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $19,595 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Mizzou.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Mizzou Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#23

Macalester College

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

Macalester College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Macalester, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Macalester is $26,382 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Macalester College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#24

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

Saint Johns University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #24. Collegeville, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

SJU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Johns University is $24,177 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Full Saint Johns University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#25

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#23 in overall quality

University of Kansas landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. KU is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 47 bachelors’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $20,981 for plains states region bachelor’s degree natural resources & conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full KU 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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