College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Illinois

6 Colleges in Illinois
717 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,408 Avg Early-Career Salary
You'll be studying one of the lesser sought-after majors if you pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. It is ranked #25 out of 38 major degree programs in terms of popularity. As such, your educational options may be more limited than if you were in a more popular field.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for natural resources & conservation students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 717 degrees in natural resources & conservation annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Natural Resources & Conservation School

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Illinois Your choice of natural resources & conservation school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for natural resources & conservation schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Master's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Doctor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Illinois list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

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

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Natural Resources & Conservation in Illinois

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the natural resources & conservation degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Illinois Schools in Natural Resources & Conservation

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
119 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
26.9% Growth in Graduates

It's difficult to beat University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign if you want to pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.

There were roughly 119 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program report average early career income of $31,369.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
140 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
23.6% Growth in Graduates

Loyola University Chicago is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #100 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Loyola Chicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 140 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Chicago in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, natural resources & conservation degree recipients generally earn an average of $30,797 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Loyola University Chicago

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation Program Name

Develop a broad-based interdisciplinary skill set to solve complex environmental problems like climate change, alternative energy and sustainability with a specialized online degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
21.6% Growth in Graduates

It is hard to beat DePaul University if you wish to pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #135 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.

There were approximately 37 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program state that they receive average early career wages of $26,381.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from DePaul University

4
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$35,669 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Augustana College if you wish to pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. Augustana is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Rock Island. This college ranks 21st out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were approximately 9 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Augustana in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program earn an average of $35,669 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Augustana College

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
58 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
1.7% Growth in Graduates

SIUC is a large public university located in the distant town of Carbondale. This university ranks 36th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 58 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program make around $35,398 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Southern Illinois University Carbondale

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
35 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
11.4% Growth in Graduates

NIU is a large public university located in the suburb of Dekalb. This university ranks 20th out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were roughly 35 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, natural resources & conservation degree recipients usually earn about $36,409 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Northern Illinois University

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Natural Resources & Conservation Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Indiana 38 447
Michigan 38 955
Ohio 38 875
Wisconsin 37 930

View All Rankings >

Natural Resources & Conservation Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Natural Resources Conservation 592
Natural Resource Management 67
Forestry 47
Wildlife Management 11

View All Natural Resources & Conservation Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options