by our College Data Analytics Team
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 9,899 people earned their degree in environmental studies, making the major the 87th most popular in the United States.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 542 colleges that offer a degree in environmental studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in environmental studies.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for ecosystem studies students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Warren Wilson College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major. Warren Wilson College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Swannanoa, North Carolina. It awarded 28 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Antioch University - New England. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. This small school is located in Keene, New Hampshire, and it awarded 66 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.
Full Antioch University - New England Environmental Studies Report
Out of the 542 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Colorado University landed the #3 spot on the list. Western Colorado University is a public institution located in Gunnison, Colorado. The school has a small population, and it awarded 62 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Mary’s College of Maryland. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major. St Mary’s College of Maryland is a small school located in St. Mary’s City, Maryland that handed out 47 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at St Mary’s College of Maryland
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eckerd College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major. Eckerd College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Petersburg, Florida. It awarded 59 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in Syracuse, New York, this small public school handed out 55 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
With a ranking of #7, Prescott College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Prescott College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Prescott, Arizona. It awarded 31 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Middlebury Institute is a small school located in Monterey, California that handed out 27 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
University of North Carolina at Asheville landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. UNCA is a small school located in Asheville, North Carolina that handed out 60 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Occidental College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Occidental College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 32 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #11, University of the Ozarks did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Clarksville, Arkansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
Reed College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Portland, Oregon, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Middlebury College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Middlebury College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middlebury, Vermont. The school has a small population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #14, Hobart and William Smith Colleges did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. This small school is located in Geneva, New York, and it awarded 33 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.
Saint Michael’s College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Located in Colchester, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Environmental Studies at Saint Michael’s College
With a ranking of #16, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Gettysburg College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #17, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 377 diplomas to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara Environmental Studies Report
New College of Florida came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. New College is located in Sarasota, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s ecosystem studies degrees to qualified students.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Centre College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Centre College is a small school located in Danville, Kentucky that handed out 19 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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.
Read more about Environmental Studies at Centre College of Kentucky
With a ranking of #20, Bates College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Bates is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lewiston, Maine. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Fort Lewis College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Durango, Colorado, and it awarded 30 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
SUNY Maritime College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. SUNY Maritime College is a small school located in Throggs Neck, New York that handed out 12 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Hiram College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Hiram, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
Ursinus College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major ranking. Ursinus College is a small school located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania that handed out 16 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad 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%.
Randolph - Macon College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. Randolph - Macon College is a small school located in Ashland, Virginia that handed out 16 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read full report on Environmental Studies at Randolph - Macon College
SIT Graduate Institute ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Ecosystem Studies Major list. SIT is a small school located in Brattleboro, Vermont that handed out 2 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
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 1.7% 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%.
Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Lake Forest College | Lake Forest, IL |
| 52 | Wofford College | Spartanburg, SC |
| 53 | University of California - Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA |
| 54 | Hampshire College | Amherst, MA |
| 55 | Southern Oregon University | Ashland, OR |
| 56 | Mansfield University of Pennsylvania | Mansfield, PA |
| 57 | Bowdoin College | Brunswick, ME |
| 58 | Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA |
| 59 | Haverford College | Haverford, PA |
| 60 | Stockton University | Galloway, NJ |
| 61 | Hendrix College | Conway, AR |
| 62 | Yale University | New Haven, CT |
| 63 | Vassar College | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| 64 | Carleton College | Northfield, MN |
| 65 | Wesleyan University | Middletown, CT |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Beloit College | Beloit, WI |
| 67 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO |
| 68 | Cottey College | Nevada, MO |
| 69 | Earlham College | Richmond, IN |
| 70 | Rollins College | Winter Park, FL |
| 71 | Maryville College | Maryville, TN |
| 72 | Kenyon College | Gambier, OH |
| 73 | Bennington College | Bennington, VT |
| 74 | Cornell College | Mount Vernon, IA |
| 75 | Birmingham Southern College | Birmingham, AL |
| 76 | Keene State College | Keene, NH |
| 77 | Knox College | Galesburg, IL |
| 78 | Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley, MA |
| 79 | Guilford College | Greensboro, NC |
| 80 | University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, CA |
| 81 | Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA |
| 82 | Saint Johns University | Collegeville, MN |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
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