2023 Best Value Colleges for Ecology (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
4
Ranked Colleges
156
Degrees Awarded
$9,600
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 1,060 people earned their degree in ecology, making the major the 416th most popular in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 156 ecology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 4 colleges that offered a degree in ecology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality ecology programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the ecology program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Ecology Schools
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 Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 4 Best Value Colleges for Ecology (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 37 ’s ecology degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,698 for Plains States Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UMN Twin Cities Ecology Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 86 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa State also made our “Best Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $9,766 for Plains States Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 89%.
Full Iowa State University Ecology Report
Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #3 spot on the list. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s ecology degrees to qualified students.
UNI also made our “Best Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,513 for plains states region ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 86%.
Full UNI Ecology Report
Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Cloud State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s ecology students in 2020-2021.
St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Ecology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Cloud State University is $10,348 for Plains States Region Ecology students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Ecology at Saint Cloud State University
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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