College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Natural Resources Conservation Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

21 Ranked Colleges
1,362 Degrees Awarded
$27,800 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,362 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,125 and $24,828 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in natural resources conservation. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality natural resources conservation programs as well as strong veteran support.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the natural resources conservation program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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

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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation

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

Top 21 Best Natural Resources Conservation Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Webster University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Webster University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 37 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying conservation list, Webster has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Webster supports 8,197 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,175. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Webster offers credit for military training for eligible 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Webster University]](/colleges/webster-university/student-life/veterans/)

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 181 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities 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 52,017 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - 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. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UMN Twin Cities]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/student-life/veterans/)

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation. Iowa State is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 101 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also took 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. During this same period, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

4
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 64 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 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 88%. 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…

5
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #5 spot on the list. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 59 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, 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, KU supports 26,744 students, and 70 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 40 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,917. 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.

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 University of Kansas]](/colleges/university-of-kansas/student-life/veterans/)

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 69 students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 31,089 students enrolled at Mizzou, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,384. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mizzou offers credit for military training for eligible 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Mizzou Veteran Student Life Report

7

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation ranking, coming in at #7. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 136 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL 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 25,108 students enrolled at UNL, 690 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 344 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,374. During this same period, 79 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNL]](/colleges/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/student-life/veterans/)

8
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State 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 11,405 students enrolled at South Dakota State, 369 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 158 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,731. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. South Dakota State offers 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at South Dakota State]](/colleges/south-dakota-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

9

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation ranking. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 52 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth 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 10,275 students enrolled at UMN Duluth, 249 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 88 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,883. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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…

10
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #10, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 291 of the 11,841 students enrolled at St. Cloud State University were GI Bill® students, of which 126 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,067. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. St. Cloud State University does offer credit for military training for eligible 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 Saint Cloud State University Veteran Student Life Report

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. UMKC is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, 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, UMKC supports 16,147 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. 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%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Missouri - Kansas City]](/colleges/university-of-missouri-kansas-city/student-life/veterans/)

12

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying conservation list, UNOMAHA has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 928 of the 15,892 students enrolled at UNOMAHA were GI Bill® students, of which 488 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,364. During this same period, 75 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNOMAHA 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%.

Full University of Nebraska at Omaha Veteran Student Life Report

13

University of Minnesota - Morris came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation ranking. University of Minnesota - Morris is located in Morris, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UMN Morris 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, UMN Morris supports 1,339 students, and 17 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 8 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,785. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through 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%.

Full University of Minnesota - Morris Veteran Student Life Report

14

University of Minnesota - Crookston ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Located in Crookston, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

UMN Crookston also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, UMN Crookston supports 2,530 students, and 65 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 29 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,970. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Minnesota - Crookston]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-crookston/student-life/veterans/)

15
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #15, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

Bemidji State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 128 of the 4,577 students enrolled at Bemidji State University were GI Bill® students, of which 75 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,703. 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 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 More…

16
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Gustavus Adolphus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Peter, Minnesota. It awarded 17 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Gustavus Adolphus 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 2,230 students enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus, 24 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 12 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,970. In addition to receiving other benefits, 7 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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 Gustavus Adolphus Veteran Student Life Report

17
SJU crest
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, Minnesota

Saint Johns University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Saint Johns University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Collegeville, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SJU 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 1,668 students enrolled at Saint Johns University, 26 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,435. During this same period, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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…

18
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

With a ranking of #18, Luther College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Decorah, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

Luther also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 19 of the 1,802 students enrolled at Luther were GI Bill® students, of which 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,670. To help with additional expenses, 2 students qualified for 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%.

Full Luther Veteran Student Life Report

19

With a ranking of #19, Upper Iowa University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

UIU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,610 students enrolled at UIU, 2 were 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 $3,399. 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.

Read More…

20
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation ranking. St Olaf College is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 33 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Olaf also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 2,953 students enrolled at St. Olaf, 23 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 $25,252. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 91%.

Read More…

21
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College ranked #21 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Conservation list. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 19 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Macalester also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 2,049 students enrolled at Macalester, 13 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $24,323. On top of their other funding sources, 8 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Macalester College Veteran Student Life Report

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

Compare Your School Options