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2023 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $48-$75k)

265 Ranked Colleges
22,254 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 22,254 people earned their degree in natural resources conservation, making the major the 49th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, natural resources conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,963 and had an average of $23,098 in loans still to pay off.

For this year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 265 colleges that offer 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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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 Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $48-$75k)

1
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 265 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 150 diplomas to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

Yale also took the #2 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Yale is $2,815 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Yale University

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 174 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Duke also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $7,160 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%. 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.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Duke

3
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 #3 for the Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 243 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Harvard also took the #3 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,669 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Harvard University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Harvard

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Columbia is a large private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 83 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia is $8,106 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Columbia University in the City of New York

5
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Colby College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Waterville, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 46 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

Colby not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $5,536 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Colby College.

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 2.0%, which is much lower than the national 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 more about Natural Resources Conservation at Colby College

6

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 310 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $10,481 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at U-M

7

University of California - Berkeley landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 604 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $13,423 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UC Berkeley

8

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Seattle, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 213 students in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle also took the #12 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $8,393 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

9
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Brown University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Providence, Rhode Island. It awarded 32 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown University is $10,219 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 Natural Resources Conservation at Brown

10
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

Dartmouth College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 40 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth is $12,172 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.3% 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 Natural Resources Conservation at Dartmouth

11
American Military University crest
American Public University System
Charles Town, West Virginia

American Public University System did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. American Public University System is located in Charles Town, West Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 334 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, American Military University is also in the top of our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $13,536 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend American Military University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at American Military University

12

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. UNC Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 154 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UNC Chapel Hill also took the #13 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,619 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.

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 Natural Resources Conservation at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

13
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.

Cornell also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $9,785 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cornell University.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Cornell University

14

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 269 students in 2020-2021.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $14,193 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of California - Davis

15

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 181 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our conservation students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $12,911 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 93%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Natural Resources Conservation Report

16

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 444 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $10,364 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Natural Resources Conservation Report

17
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 41 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Purdue is in the top on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $8,450 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Natural Resources Conservation Report

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 155 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $11,506 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Florida State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Florida State University

19

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 101 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $12,644 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCLA Natural Resources Conservation Report

20

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, IU Bloomington also did well on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It costs about $12,369 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Natural Resources Conservation Report

21
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 208 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $14,424 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at North Carolina State University

22
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #22, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 141 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also took the #17 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $16,019 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Virginia - Main Campus

23
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

With a ranking of #23, University of Delaware did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. UD is a public institution located in Newark, Delaware. The school has a large population, and it awarded 67 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our conservation students whose families make $48-$75k list, UD has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,260 for Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UD.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Delaware

24
Maritime crest
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Maritime Academy landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is a small public school situated in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. It awarded 38 ’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $12,099 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Massachusetts Maritime Academy Natural Resources Conservation Report

25
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 51 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Tufts is in the top on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $19,827 for conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Tufts University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Tufts Natural Resources Conservation Report

Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Conservation Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
29
30
31
32
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Queens College
Queens, New York
33
34
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University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
35
36
37
38
39
40
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University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

Notes and References

References

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