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2023 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies (Income $30-$48k)

164 Ranked Colleges
9,899 Degrees Awarded
$6,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

Environmental Studies is the 87th most popular major in the country with 9,899 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 164 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in environmental studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent environmental studies programs, but they also cost less that 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.

More Ways to Rank Environmental Studies Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies (Income $30-$48k)

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Duke University is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 59 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Duke University is $-927 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Duke Environmental Studies Report

2
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 129 students in 2020-2021.

Yale also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Yale University is $3,083 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 Environmental Studies at Yale

3
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Harvard is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 234 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Harvard also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $1,396 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard Environmental Studies Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Columbia also took the #5 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,699 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Columbia

5
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Out of the 164 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Colby College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Waterville, Maine, and it awarded 11 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Colby also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Colby College is $2,361 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Colby Environmental Studies Report

6

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 142 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

U-M also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $5,670 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at U-M

7

With a ranking of #7, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 75 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $5,729 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Environmental Studies Report

8

University of California - Berkeley landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 359 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $9,999 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UC Berkeley

9
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

With a ranking of #9, Brown University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown University is $2,842 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Brown Environmental Studies Report

10
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Hanover, New Hampshire, and it awarded 40 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth College is $8,718 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College

11

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 338 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,788 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

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.

Read more about Environmental Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 95 students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $6,399 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Environmental Studies at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

13

With a ranking of #13, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 52 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington excels when it comes to ecosystem studies quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $7,061 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at IU Bloomington

14
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Tufts is also in the top of our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $7,987 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.

Full Tufts University Environmental Studies Report

15

University of California - Davis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 80 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. It costs about $11,598 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at UC Davis

16
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #16, Emory University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 35 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Emory also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $8,976 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 93%.

Full Emory University Environmental Studies Report

17
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #17, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

NC State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,448 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 NC State

18

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 204 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, ASU - Tempe also did well on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend ASU - Tempe is $10,628 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad 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 more about Environmental Studies at Arizona State University - Tempe

19
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

With a ranking of #19, Queens College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Queens College is located in Queens, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $3,524 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend QC.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Queens College

20
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,075 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Boston College.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Boston College

21

With a ranking of #21, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $8,449 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 94%.

Full University of California - Irvine Environmental Studies Report

22

Iowa State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. It costs about $11,427 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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 undergraduate students.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Iowa State

23

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 32 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $8,697 for ecosystem studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of Minnesota - Duluth

24

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 74 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - College Station is $12,949 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Environmental Studies Report

25
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. University of Virginia is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $10,063 for Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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 full report on Environmental Studies at University of Virginia

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