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2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

14 Ranked Colleges
320 Degrees Awarded
$13,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology is the 103rd most popular major in the country with 7,312 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,807 and had an average of $31,265 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 654 ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,675 and $31,209 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 320 ecology, evolution and systematics biology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer a degree in ecology, evolution and systematics biology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great ecology, evolution and systematics biology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the ecology, evolution and systematics biology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $6,860 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 95%.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Wisconsin - Madison

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $5,887 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#3

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 17 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Purdue has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,879 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Purdue

#4

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #4 spot on the list. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 19 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #5 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $6,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at IU Bloomington

#5

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $15,197 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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 about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Michigan State

#6

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

Ferris State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ferris is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s ecology degrees to qualified students.

Ferris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $10,521 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Ferris State University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

#7

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $12,127 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Central Michigan Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

#8

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Western Michigan University is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $15,276 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at WMU

#9

DePauw University

Greencastle, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, DePauw University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Greencastle, Indiana, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

DePauw did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for DePauw is $19,206 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full DePauw University Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

#9 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Case Western, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Case Western is $19,034 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Case Western Reserve University

#11

Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Wisconsin Lutheran College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s ecology degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

WLC also made our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend WLC is $12,482 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Wisconsin Lutheran College Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

#12

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of Dayton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UDayton has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Dayton is $23,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at UDayton

#13

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ecology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,390 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree ecology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology at Olivet Nazarene University

#11 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Athens, Ohio, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s ecology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at OHIO Athens, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $18,863 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Biology Report

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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

Footnotes

  • *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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