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2022 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

12 Ranked Colleges
516 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Illinois, there were 516 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,150 and $23,920 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 12 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the natural resources conservation program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The conservation 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 Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

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

Top 12 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#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 in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s conservation degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $7,934 for illinois conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Chicago

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 100 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $13,351 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UIUC

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 32 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS also took the #9 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Springfield is $11,857 for illinois conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UIS

#4

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,346 for illinois conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full NIU Natural Resources Conservation Report

#5

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Augustana College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This small school is located in Rock Island, Illinois, and it awarded 29 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,453 for illinois conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Augustana.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Augustana College

#6

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Knox is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 16 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also took the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $19,653 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 more about Natural Resources Conservation at Knox

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Carbondale, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified ’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,985 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at SIUC

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,180 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Northeastern Illinois University

#9

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Lake Forest did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $24,683 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lake Forest College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Lake Forest College

#10

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small school located in Bloomington, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $23,309 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Illinois Wesleyan University

#11

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 32 ’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul University is $28,075 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 DePaul Natural Resources Conservation Report

#12

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Loyola Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 70 ’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Chicago also took the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for Illinois Conservation students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The 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 Loyola Chicago Natural Resources Conservation Report

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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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