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2023 Best Natural Resources Conservation Colleges for Veterans

265 Ranked Colleges
22,254 Degrees Awarded
$33,800 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 22,254 people earned their degree in natural resources conservation, making the major the 49th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, natural resources conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,963 and had an average of $23,098 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation” ranking, we looked at 265 colleges that offer a degree in natural resources conservation. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great natural resources conservation programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the natural resources conservation program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources Conservation Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Conservation Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The 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 “Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation

The colleges and universities below are the best for vets studying conservation.

Top 25 Best Natural Resources Conservation Colleges for Veterans

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 310 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying conservation list, U-M has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor supports 47,907 students, and 570 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 325 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $27,058. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

2

Out of the 265 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #2 spot on the list. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 316 students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 70,418 students enrolled at Texas A&M College Station, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,925. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 94%.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Veteran Student Life Report

3

Out of the 265 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #3 spot on the list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 154 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying conservation list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 30,092 students enrolled at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Veteran Student Life Report

4
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Webster University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 37 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Webster, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 8,197 students enrolled at Webster, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,175. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Read More…

5

Out of the 265 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 158 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Ohio State supports 61,369 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ohio State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 veteran student life at Ohio State]](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

6

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 444 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison, 4 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

7

With a ranking of #7, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Arizona State University - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 212 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

ASU - Tempe did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 74,795 students enrolled at ASU - Tempe, 7,566 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3,828 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,068. During this same period, 672 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. ASU - Tempe offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Arizona State University - Tempe]](/colleges/arizona-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

8

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. University of Oklahoma is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 108 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Oklahoma did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 27,772 students enrolled at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, 12 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,720. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 87%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Oklahoma]](/colleges/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus/student-life/veterans/)

9
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #9, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 155 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our vets studying conservation list, Florida State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 43,569 students enrolled at Florida State, 8 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,819. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Florida State University]](/colleges/florida-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

10
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking, coming in at #10. NC State is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 208 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 36,042 students enrolled at North Carolina State University, 1,102 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 493 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,886. In addition to receiving other benefits, 27 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at North Carolina State University]](/colleges/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh/student-life/veterans/)

11
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 41 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Purdue University - Main Campus supports 46,655 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,765. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 93%.

Full Purdue Veteran Student Life Report

12
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a large school located in New Brunswick, New Jersey that handed out 57 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rutgers New Brunswick, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Rutgers University - New Brunswick supports 50,411 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,625. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Rutgers University - New Brunswick offers credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

13

University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 213 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 1,283 of the 48,149 students enrolled at University of Washington - Seattle Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 769 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,190. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Washington - Seattle Campus does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 93%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Washington - Seattle Campus]](/colleges/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/student-life/veterans/)

14

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 181 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities, 752 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,020. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Minnesota - Twin Cities Veteran Student Life Report

15
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

With a ranking of #15, Washington State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Washington State University is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Wazzu did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Washington State University supports 31,159 students, and 83 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,702. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Wazzu]](/colleges/washington-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

15
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Brown University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 32 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 9,948 students enrolled at Brown University, 98 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,111. To help with additional expenses, 40 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Brown University Veteran Student Life Report

17
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado

University of Denver landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Located in Denver, Colorado, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

DU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 571 of the 13,856 students enrolled at DU were GI Bill® students, of which 373 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,359. During this same period, 155 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Denver Veteran Student Life Report

18

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 87 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 52,679 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Veteran Student Life Report

19
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. This large school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 37 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 29,986 students enrolled at UK, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

20

Iowa State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 101 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Iowa State supports 31,822 students, and 814 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 388 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State Veteran Student Life Report

21

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 107 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Indiana University - Bloomington supports 43,064 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Indiana University - Bloomington]](/colleges/indiana-university-bloomington/student-life/veterans/)

22

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking, coming in at #22. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 268 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

CU - Boulder not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 37,437 students enrolled at CU - Boulder, 1,379 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 968 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,889. During this same period, 46 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 85%.

Read More…

23
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #23, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. Cornell University is a large school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 119 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 23,620 students enrolled at Cornell, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,780. During this same period, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Cornell]](/colleges/cornell-university/student-life/veterans/)

24
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona ranked #24 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation list. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our vets studying conservation list, University of Arizona has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2,131 of the 45,601 students enrolled at University of Arizona were GI Bill® students, of which 1,478 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,880. During this same period, 31 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Arizona offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Arizona Veteran Student Life Report

25
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation ranking. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 64 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

Rest of the Best 40 in Most Veteran Friendly for Conservation

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
28
29
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
30
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
31
32
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
33
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
34
35
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia
36
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
36
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York
38
39
40
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

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