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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Southwest Region

16 Ranked Colleges
363 Degrees Awarded
$20,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master's in the Southwest Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Southwest region, there were 2,575 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,417 and $24,287 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 363 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,078 and $37,227 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the natural resources and conservation program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

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

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region master’s degree natural resources & conservation students.

Top 16 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Southwest Region

#1

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas Tech University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech also took the #3 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas Tech are $17,530, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Texas Tech Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arizona State University - Skysong. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region. This large school is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and it awarded 50 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree natural resources & conservation students list, ASU - Skysong has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Skysong are $6,724, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Arizona State University - Skysong

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 33 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M College Station did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M College Station are $22,743, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Texas A&M College Station Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree natural resources & conservation students list, University of Oklahoma has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Oklahoma are $23,236, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Stillwater, Oklahoma. It awarded 12 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree natural resources & conservation students list, OSU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Oklahoma State University - Main Campus are $23,963, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at OSU

#6

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Texas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. Texas State is located in San Marcos, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

Texas State also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #8. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Texas State University are $17,040.

Full Texas State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#7 in overall quality

University of Houston - Clear Lake came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. UH Clear Lake is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 9 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UH Clear Lake also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at UH Clear Lake are $19,216, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UH Clear Lake Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#9 in overall quality

New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this fairly large public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s natural resources and conservation students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NMSU Main Campus, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at New Mexico State University - Main Campus are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at NMSU Main Campus

#13 in overall quality

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #9. Nacogdoches, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

SFASU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stephen F Austin State University are $15,695.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Stephen F Austin State University

#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 49 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree natural resources & conservation students list, ASU - Tempe has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at ASU - Tempe are $27,048.

Full ASU - Tempe Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#11

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona
#12 in overall quality

Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #11. Flagstaff, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

NAU also took the #12 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at NAU are $19,489, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northern Arizona University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

#10 in overall quality

The University of Texas at Arlington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking, coming in at #12. UT Arlington is a large school located in Arlington, Texas that handed out 13 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Arlington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Arlington are $23,376, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UT Arlington

#13

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, Texas
#14 in overall quality

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Corpus Christi, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi also took the #14 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Texas A&M Corpus Christi are $15,683.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Texas A&M Corpus Christi

#14

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas
#16 in overall quality

Tarleton State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Stephenville, Texas, and it awarded 3 masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarleton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tarleton State University are $15,485, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Tarleton

#15

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#6 in overall quality

University of Arizona came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region ranking. Tucson, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399.

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

#15 in overall quality

The University of Texas at San Antonio ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region list. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a public institution located in San Antonio, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UTSA, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UTSA are $25,807, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at The University of Texas at San Antonio

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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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