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2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

52 Ranked Colleges
2,180 Degrees Awarded
$8,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Natural Resources Conservation is the 50th most popular major in the country with 22,202 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, natural resources conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,654 and had an average of $25,969 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,998 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,390 and $26,723 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,180 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 52 colleges that offered a degree in natural resources conservation. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great natural resources conservation programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the natural resources conservation program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Natural Resources Conservation Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UChicago also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $2,712 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Chicago

Out of the 52 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend U-M.

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

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at U-M

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 175 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Natural Resources Conservation Report

Out of the 52 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 67 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#5

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 56 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $4,969 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at IU Bloomington

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 131 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, Ohio State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Natural Resources Conservation Report

#15 in overall quality

Michigan Technological University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Michigan Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $8,295 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Michigan Technological University Natural Resources Conservation Report

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 74 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,686 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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 Michigan State University Natural Resources Conservation Report

#9

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 31 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,483 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Purdue

#10

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 34 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,366 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Natural Resources Conservation Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Green Bay, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,337 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Natural Resources Conservation Report

#12

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Oberlin is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oberlin, Ohio. It awarded 39 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Oberlin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Oberlin College is $9,037 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive 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. The low 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Oberlin

#13

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $11,868 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UW - Whitewater

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,052 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IUPUI.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#15

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stout came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stout is $10,695 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UW - Stout

#16

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #16, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $8,403 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Ball State University

#17

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

Lake Superior State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lake Superior State University is located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Lake Superior State University is $7,067 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Lake Superior State University

#18

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 63 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

GVSU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,578 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend GVSU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at GVSU

#19

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #19, Oakland University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 27 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $7,490 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Oakland University

With a ranking of #20, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Michigan - Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 6 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn is $6,751 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Michigan - Dearborn Natural Resources Conservation Report

#21

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k list, NIU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,281 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full NIU Natural Resources Conservation Report

#22

Denison University

Granville, Ohio

Denison University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Denison University is located in Granville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Denison also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $18,990 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Denison.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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 impressive 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.

Full Denison University Natural Resources Conservation Report

With a ranking of #23, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $11,687 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

University of Michigan - Flint came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Flint, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UM Flint is $7,955 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UM Flint

#25

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan

With a ranking of #25, Northern Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northern Michigan University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marquette, Michigan. It awarded 60 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,137 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northern Michigan University.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Northern Michigan University

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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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