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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Environmental Studies (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

11 Ranked Colleges
229 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

Environmental Studies is the 85th most popular major in the country with 9,869 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across Illinois, there were 262 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 229 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer a degree in environmental studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality environmental studies 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 environmental studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Environmental Studies (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $7,934 for illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.

Full UChicago Environmental Studies Report

#2

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 34 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,346 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Northern Illinois University

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Springfield, Illinois, this small public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ecosystem studies students in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $11,857 for illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of Illinois at Springfield

#4

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Augustana College landed the #4 spot on the list. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Augustana has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana is $21,453 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Augustana Environmental Studies Report

#5

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Knox College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also took the #5 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Knox is $19,653 for illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Knox

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,985 for illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at SIUC

#11 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northeastern Illinois University has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $18,180 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Northeastern Illinois University

#8

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Lake Forest is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

Lake Forest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $24,683 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lake Forest.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Full Lake Forest College Environmental Studies Report

#9

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Illinois Wesleyan is a small school located in Bloomington, Illinois that handed out 8 bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan is $23,309 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 1.4% 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 full report on Environmental Studies at Illinois Wesleyan

#10

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, DePaul has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul University is $28,075 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full DePaul Environmental Studies Report

#11

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s ecosystem studies degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree ecosystem studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Ecosystem Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 full report on Environmental Studies at Loyola University Chicago

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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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