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2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region

49 Ranked Colleges
6,524 Degrees Awarded
$12,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 30,503 people earned their degree in natural resources and conservation, making the major the 25th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, natural resources and conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,158 and had an average of $23,267 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southeast region, there were 6,524 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,501 and $23,211 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking analyzed 49 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the natural resources and conservation program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

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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 in the Southeast Region” list to help you make the college decision.

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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Southeast Region

1
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend American Public University System. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region. This large school is located in Charles Town, West Virginia, and it awarded 490 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region natural resources & conservation students list, American Military University has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,563 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students per year to attend American Public University System.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at American Military University

2
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Florida State University is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 155 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $9,946 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students per year to attend Florida State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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 95%.

Full Florida State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

3
Columbia Southern University crest
Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, Alabama

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia Southern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region. Columbia Southern University is a fairly large private for-profit school situated in Orange Beach, Alabama. It awarded 106 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Columbia Southern University is $11,241 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Columbia Southern University

4
Haywood Community College crest
Haywood Community College
Clyde, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Haywood Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region. Haywood Community College is located in Clyde, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $6,940 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students per year to attend Haywood Community College.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Haywood Community College

5
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mississippi State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Mississippi State is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 152 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

Mississippi State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $16,122 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students per year to attend Mississippi State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Mississippi State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

6

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 142 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region natural resources & conservation students list, USF Tampa has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,346 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Natural Resources & Conservation Report

7
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 333 students in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $16,411 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at NC State

8

University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #8. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a fairly large public school situated in Wilmington, North Carolina. It awarded 120 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UNCW did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $19,136 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend UNCW.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 UNCW

9
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #9, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 123 students in 2020-2021.

Appalachian State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $13,989 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend Appalachian State.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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 86%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Appalachian State University

10
WCU crest
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Western Carolina University is a fairly large public school situated in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It awarded 41 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,924 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend Western Carolina University.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Western Carolina University

11
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Florida is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 287 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $5,135 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UF

12
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #12, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 165 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also took the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $14,257 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Georgia Natural Resources & Conservation Report

13
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #13, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 401 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also took the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $21,301 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Virginia Tech

14

With a ranking of #14, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a small school located in Tifton, Georgia that handed out 20 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is $7,545 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at ABAC Tifton

15

Tennessee Technological University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Tennessee Technological University is located in Cookeville, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,932 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend Tennessee Technological University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Tennessee Technological University

16
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

With a ranking of #16, West Virginia University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. WVU is a public institution located in Morgantown, West Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 168 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WVU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WVU is $13,355 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at WVU

17
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Clemson University is a public institution located in Clemson, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 113 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Clemson not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Clemson is $21,262 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Clemson

18

With a ranking of #18, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 154 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $12,469 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 undergraduate students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

19

With a ranking of #19, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. The University of West Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Pensacola, Florida. It awarded 37 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of West Florida is $7,089 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UWF

20

University of Central Arkansas came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. University of Central Arkansas is a fairly large school located in Conway, Arkansas that handed out 24 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Central Arkansas is $16,554 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCA Natural Resources & Conservation Report

21
ATU crest
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, Arkansas

Arkansas Tech University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Arkansas Tech University is a medium-sized school located in Russellville, Arkansas that handed out 29 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend ATU is $11,721 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at ATU

22

University of North Carolina at Asheville came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Asheville, North Carolina, this small public school awarded 60 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Asheville is $12,551 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

Full University of North Carolina at Asheville Natural Resources & Conservation Report

23

Florida International University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. This large school is located in Miami, Florida, and it awarded 41 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,298 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at FIU

24

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is located in Chattanooga, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,040 for southeast region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UT Chattanooga

25
FGCU crest
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, Florida

With a ranking of #25, Florida Gulf Coast University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Southeast Region list. Fort Myers, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 85 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend FGCU is $11,299 for Southeast Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 Florida Gulf Coast University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

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