2027 Best Value Conservation Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Conservation Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/ecology-evolution-systematics-population-biology/conservation-biology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for conservation biology students.
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2027 Best Value Conservation Biology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in conservation biology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Conservation Biology Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Wisconsin Madison the best value for a degree in conservation biology in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Conservation Biology graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career conservation biology graduates make about $28,856. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Central Michigan University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in conservation biology, landing the #2 spot this year. Central Michigan University is a large public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. In-state tuition and fees average $15,480. Typical student debt for conservation biology graduates is $27,857. Soon after graduation, conservation biology degree recipients from Central Michigan University generally make around $50,688. That is a strong return on a $27,857 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in conservation biology will find it at Ohio University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Conservation Biology graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Conservation Biology graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $49,736 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio University Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Loyola University Chicago earned it the #4 place for conservation biology. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $53,710. Students borrow a median of $23,521 to complete the conservation biology program here. Soon after graduation, conservation biology degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $58,568. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. Loyola University Chicago admits about 82% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
