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2023 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies (With Aid)

164 Ranked Colleges
9,899 Degrees Awarded
$15,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 164 colleges that offered a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the environmental studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Environmental Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Ecosystem Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Those Getting Aid”.

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

Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for ecosystem studies students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies (With Aid)

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 75 students 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 $12,469 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

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%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at UNC Chapel Hill

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid 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 also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $12,017 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. 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

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. Yale is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 129 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also took the #1 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Yale University is $15,296 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Yale

4
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 #4 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 234 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our ecosystem studies students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $13,872 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Harvard University Environmental Studies Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. 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 also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $16,032 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. 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 more about Environmental Studies at University of California - Berkeley

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 80 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $15,768 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

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

Read full report on Environmental Studies at UC Davis

7
QC crest
Queens College
Queens, New York

With a ranking of #7, Queens College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Queens College is a public institution located in Queens, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Queens College is $3,469 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at QC

8

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 338 ’s ecosystem studies 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 $17,234 for ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - 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.

Full UW - Madison Environmental Studies Report

9
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

NC State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. It costs about $16,411 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid per year to attend North Carolina State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 North Carolina State University

10

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 52 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, IU Bloomington is also in the top of our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $14,619 for ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at IU Bloomington

11

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 142 students in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $14,878 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full U-M Environmental Studies Report

12

With a ranking of #12, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. ASU - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 204 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe also claimed a top spot 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 estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $13,107 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, 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 86%.

Read more about Environmental Studies at Arizona State University - Tempe

13

Iowa State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Iowa State University is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 26 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,002 for ecosystem studies students with aid 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 Environmental Studies at Iowa State University

14

University of California - Irvine came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 39 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $12,209 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 University of California - Irvine Environmental Studies Report

15

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 377 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our ecosystem studies students with aid list, UCSB has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $16,252 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

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

Read more about Environmental Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

16

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 74 students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M University - College Station is $18,919 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at Texas A&M College Station

17
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Appalachian State is a public institution located in Boone, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 97 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State is $13,989 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

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 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Appalachian State Environmental Studies Report

18
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

University of Delaware landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Newark, Delaware is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

UD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UD is $18,967 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 UD

19
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our ecosystem studies students with aid list, University of Virginia has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $22,006 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Virginia Environmental Studies Report

20
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $13,845 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full San Diego State University Environmental Studies Report

21

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Green Bay is $13,092 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

22
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 45 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,085 for ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend University of Wyoming.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full UW Environmental Studies Report

23
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 59 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our ecosystem studies students with aid list, Duke has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $32,459 for Ecosystem Studies students with aid per year to attend Duke University.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 Duke

24

Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Columbia is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 42 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Columbia also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $22,823 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

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%. 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.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Environmental Studies Report

25

With a ranking of #25, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - San Diego is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 83 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $15,240 for ecosystem studies students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full University of California - San Diego Environmental Studies Report

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