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2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

34 Ranked Colleges
1,234 Degrees Awarded
$11,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 9,869 people earned their degree in environmental studies, making the major the 85th most popular in the United States.

Across the Southeast region, there were 1,429 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,234 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 34 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in environmental studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality environmental studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the environmental studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The ecosystem studies 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 Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Environmental Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Duke has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Duke University is $-7,808 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The impressive 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Duke University

#2

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is $4,026 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#3

Emory University

Atlanta, Georgia
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Emory University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Emory University is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

Emory also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $11,468 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Emory University

#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 31 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

FIU also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend FIU is $5,002 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full FIU Environmental Studies Report

#5

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Tech. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

Virginia Tech also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $11,138 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Virginia Tech.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 full report on Environmental Studies at Virginia Tech

#6

University of North Georgia

Dahlonega, Georgia
#9 in overall quality

University of North Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. UNG is a fairly large school located in Dahlonega, Georgia that handed out 17 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UNG also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Georgia is $7,650 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UNG

#7

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#13 in overall quality

Appalachian State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Boone, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 89 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Appalachian State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,169 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Appalachian State

#8

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fort Myers, Florida
#19 in overall quality

Florida Gulf Coast University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fort Myers, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 76 students in 2019-2020.

FGCU also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for FGCU is $7,824 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University

#9

University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina
#18 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Asheville landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Asheville is located in Asheville, North Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNCA, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Asheville is $8,063 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Environmental Studies at University of North Carolina at Asheville

#10

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke, North Carolina
#21 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Pembroke, North Carolina, this medium-sized public school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

UNC Pembroke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Pembroke is $8,282 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Environmental Studies at UNC Pembroke

#11

Shepherd University

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Shepherd University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, this small public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Shepherd University is $8,068 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Shepherd University Environmental Studies Report

#12

University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia, South Carolina
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UofSC is $12,426 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UofSC

#13

Tulane University of Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana
#7 in overall quality

Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

Tulane also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Tulane University of Louisiana is $23,968 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Tulane

#14

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Wilmington, North Carolina
#11 in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNCW is a fairly large public school situated in Wilmington, North Carolina. It awarded 17 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UNCW also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for UNCW is $12,229 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Carolina at Wilmington Environmental Studies Report

#15

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee
#16 in overall quality

Tennessee Technological University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tennessee Technological University is located in Cookeville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

Tennessee Tech University also took the #16 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee Technological University is $11,641 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Tennessee Technological University

#16

University of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky
#14 in overall quality

University of Kentucky came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UK has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UK is $11,848 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UK Environmental Studies Report

#17

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. VCU is located in Richmond, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, VCU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for VCU is $16,768 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at VCU

#18

Columbia Southern University

Orange Beach, Alabama

Columbia Southern University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Orange Beach, Alabama, and it awarded 92 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Columbia Southern University is $10,074 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Columbia Southern University

#19

Wofford College

Spartanburg, South Carolina
#6 in overall quality

Wofford College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wofford is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

Wofford also made our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Wofford is $14,618 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, 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.

Full Wofford College Environmental Studies Report

#20

Ferrum College

Ferrum, Virginia

Ferrum College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ferrum, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,806 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ferrum College.

Full Ferrum College Environmental Studies Report

#21

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, South Carolina

With a ranking of #21, Winthrop University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Winthrop is $16,682 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Winthrop University

#22

Hollins University

Roanoke, Virginia

Hollins University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hollins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Roanoke, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,824 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hollins University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Hollins University Environmental Studies Report

#23

Randolph - Macon College

Ashland, Virginia
#8 in overall quality

Randolph - Macon College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Randolph - Macon College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Ashland, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Randolph - Macon, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $23,012 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Randolph - Macon College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Randolph - Macon College

#24

Loyola University New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

With a ranking of #24, Loyola University New Orleans did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Loyola University New Orleans is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University New Orleans is $17,044 for southeast region bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Loyola New Orleans Environmental Studies Report

#25

Roanoke College

Salem, Virginia
#17 in overall quality

Roanoke College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Roanoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Salem, Virginia. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roanoke, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $17,473 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Roanoke College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Environmental Studies at Roanoke

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Lynn Betts.

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