2023 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
14
Ranked Colleges
530
Degrees Awarded
$20,500
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Environmental Studies is the 87th most popular major in the country with 9,899 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across the Plains States region, there were 530 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered a degree in environmental studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great environmental studies programs and cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Environmental Studies Schools
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 in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid”.
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 in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid.
Top 14 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Iowa State is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 26 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $16,002 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
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.
Full Iowa State Environmental Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid. UNL is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid list, UNL has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $17,013 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of Nebraska - Lincoln
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,578 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend South Dakota State.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at South Dakota State
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $18,505 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
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%.
Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Environmental Studies Report
Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #5 spot on the list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.
Iowa also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $19,401 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend Iowa.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at University of Iowa
University of Minnesota - Morris ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Minnesota - Morris is a small school located in Morris, Minnesota that handed out 12 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid list, UMN Morris has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Morris is $10,529 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.
Full UMN Morris Environmental Studies Report
Webster University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Webster also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Webster is $23,248 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at Webster
University of Kansas came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lawrence, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.
KU also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $20,257 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at University of Kansas
Bemidji State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bemidji State University is a public institution located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid list, Bemidji State University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,033 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid per year to attend Bemidji State University.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at Bemidji State University
With a ranking of #10, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Gustavus Adolphus is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.
Gustavus Adolphus also took the #12 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $24,696 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid per year to attend Gustavus Adolphus College.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College
Luther College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Luther College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decorah, Iowa. It awarded 15 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Luther, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $25,538 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend Luther College.
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%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at Luther
With a ranking of #12, St Olaf College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 33 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
St. Olaf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for St. Olaf is $24,052 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at St. Olaf
Saint Johns University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. SJU is a small school located in Collegeville, Minnesota that handed out 10 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
SJU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Johns University is $25,487 for Plains States Region Ecosystem Studies students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Saint Johns University Environmental Studies Report
Macalester College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Ecosystem Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
Macalester also made our “Best Environmental Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $27,764 for plains states region ecosystem studies students with aid per year to attend Macalester College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at Macalester College
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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
- *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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