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2023 Best Value Colleges for Sustainability Science (Income $0-$30k)

61 Ranked Colleges
3,005 Degrees Awarded
$7,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 3,005 people earned their degree in sustainability science, making the major the 176th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, sustainability science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $42,827 and had an average of $23,160 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 61 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sustainability science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sustainability science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the sustainability science program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Sustainability Science Schools

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

The sustainability science 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 “Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. 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 Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sustainability Science (Income $0-$30k)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 61 schools in the Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 29 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,233 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at Stanford

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 151 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k list, Columbia has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,873 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Columbia.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Sustainability Science Report

3
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 32 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WUSTL, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $1,556 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sustainability Science at WUSTL

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sustainability science degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k list, UF has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $65 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 UF Sustainability Science Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 53 diplomas to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #6 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Sustainability Science Report

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #6, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s sustainability science degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k list, UPenn has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $580 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full University of Pennsylvania Sustainability Science Report

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 86 degrees to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #12 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,858 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

8
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Tufts University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s sustainability science degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tufts is $8,122 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at Tufts University

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 53 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $5,194 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 Sustainability Science at UW Seattle

10

University of California - Berkeley landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 54 diplomas to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list. It costs about $8,450 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sustainability Science at University of California - Berkeley

11
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 65 ’s sustainability science degrees to qualified students.

UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list. It costs about $8,303 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Georgia.

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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UGA Sustainability Science Report

12
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 39 diplomas to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also made our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $6,927 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, 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 91%.

Full Michigan State Sustainability Science Report

13

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in College Park, Maryland, and it awarded 16 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

UMCP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list. It costs about $6,067 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMCP.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UMCP Sustainability Science Report

14
CCNY crest
The City College of New York
New York, New York

The City College of New York ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. The City College of New York is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 ’s sustainability science degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $1,254 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The City College of New York.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at CCNY

15
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This fairly large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 11 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

Carnegie Mellon also made our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon is $16,456 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 about Sustainability Science at Carnegie Mellon University

16

Florida International University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Florida International University is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend FIU is $3,196 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 4.4% 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 about Sustainability Science at Florida International University

17

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. USF Tampa is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 74 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $4,176 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Read more about Sustainability Science at University of South Florida - Main Campus

18
Colorado Mountain College crest
Colorado Mountain College
Glenwood Springs, Colorado

With a ranking of #18, Colorado Mountain College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, this medium-sized public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Colorado Mountain College is $3,118 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Colorado Mountain College Sustainability Science Report

19

With a ranking of #19, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Austin also took the #15 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Austin is $13,753 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Sustainability Science Report

20
SUNY Stony Brook crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York

Stony Brook University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Stony Brook University is a large public school situated in Stony Brook, New York. It awarded 11 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k list, SUNY Stony Brook has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,863 for sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stony Brook University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at Stony Brook University

21
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this large public school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified ’s sustainability science students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of U, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Utah is $10,431 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Utah Sustainability Science Report

22

With a ranking of #22, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 23 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $13,956 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Miami University - Oxford Sustainability Science Report

23

Iowa State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Iowa State is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 22 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,766 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sustainability Science at Iowa State

24
WWU crest
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Western Washington University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,979 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Western Washington University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at Western Washington University

25
Rutgers New Brunswick crest
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey

With a ranking of #25, Rutgers University - New Brunswick did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sustainability Science Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Rutgers University - New Brunswick is a large public school situated in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It awarded 57 ’s sustainability science degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our sustainability science students whose families make $0-$30k list, Rutgers New Brunswick has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Sustainability Science Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rutgers New Brunswick is $14,935 for Sustainability Science students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 93%.

Read full report on Sustainability Science at Rutgers New Brunswick

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