2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies
14
Ranked Colleges
530
Degrees Awarded
$27,800
Avg Cost*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 9,899 people earned their degree in environmental studies, making the major the 87th most popular in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 530 environmental studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in environmental studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality environmental studies programs as well as strong veteran support.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the environmental studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies”.
Top 14 Best Environmental Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, Webster University landed the #1 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Webster not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 8,197 students enrolled at Webster were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,175. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Webster University Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying ecosystem studies list, Iowa State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State, 814 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 89%.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 38 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 30,318 students enrolled at University of Iowa, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Iowa Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #4 spot on the list. KU is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 59 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
KU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 26,744 students enrolled at University of Kansas, 70 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,917. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full KU Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 35 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UNL also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 690 of the 25,108 students enrolled at UNL were GI Bill® students, of which 344 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,374. In addition to receiving other benefits, 79 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNL offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UNL]](/colleges/university-of-nebraska-lincoln/student-life/veterans/)
South Dakota State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies list. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 9 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
South Dakota State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 369 of the 11,405 students enrolled at South Dakota State University were GI Bill® students, of which 158 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,731. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full South Dakota State University Veteran Student Life Report
University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies ranking. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ecosystem studies degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Duluth, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 10,275 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Duluth, 249 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 88 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,883. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UMN Duluth]](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-duluth/student-life/veterans/)
University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies ranking. UMN Morris is a small public school situated in Morris, Minnesota. It awarded 12 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UMN Morris not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 17 of the 1,339 students enrolled at University of Minnesota - Morris were GI Bill® students, of which 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,785. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Bemidji State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies list. Bemidji State University is a small school located in Bemidji, Minnesota that handed out 21 ’s ecosystem studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying ecosystem studies list, Bemidji State University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 128 of the 4,577 students enrolled at Bemidji State University were GI Bill® students, of which 75 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,703. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #10, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies list. Gustavus Adolphus College 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,230 students enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus, 24 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 12 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,970. To help with additional expenses, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Gustavus Adolphus Veteran Student Life Report
Saint Johns University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies list. Located in Collegeville, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified ’s ecosystem studies students in 2020-2021.
SJU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,668 students enrolled at SJU, 26 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 13 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,435. During this same period, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full SJU Veteran Student Life Report
Luther College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies ranking. Luther is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decorah, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Luther also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 19 of the 1,802 students enrolled at Luther were GI Bill® students, of which 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,670. During this same period, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Luther Veteran Student Life Report
St Olaf College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies ranking. St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
St. Olaf also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, St. Olaf supports 2,953 students, and 23 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 10 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,252. To help with additional expenses, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at St Olaf College]](/colleges/st-olaf-college/student-life/veterans/)
Macalester College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for Ecosystem Studies ranking, coming in at #14. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,049 students enrolled at Macalester College, 13 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $24,323. During this same period, 8 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Macalester College]](/colleges/macalester-college/student-life/veterans/)
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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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