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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region

28 Ranked Colleges
1,021 Degrees Awarded
$19,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” 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 the Plains States region, there were 1,352 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,043 and $33,930 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,021 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 28 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in natural resources conservation. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality natural resources conservation programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Valley City State University

Valley City, North Dakota
#19 in overall quality

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Valley City State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Valley City State University is a small school located in Valley City, North Dakota that handed out 2 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Valley City State University, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Valley City State University is $13,866 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Valley City State University

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Iowa State University is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 89 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $17,228 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Iowa State University Natural Resources Conservation Report

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 124 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $19,942 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UMN Twin Cities

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Crookston landed the #4 spot on the list. UMN Crookston is a small school located in Crookston, Minnesota that handed out 26 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Crookston also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Crookston is $13,185 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UMN Crookston

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UMN Morris is a small public school situated in Morris, Minnesota. It awarded 23 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Morris also took the #25 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $13,194 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UMN Morris

#6

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. WUSTL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

WUSTL also took the #1 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Washington University in St Louis is $25,505 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Washington University in St Louis

#7

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #7, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 17 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,307 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Saint Cloud State University

University of Nebraska at Omaha came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Nebraska at Omaha is a fairly large public school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 22 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UNOMAHA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,400 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at University of Nebraska at Omaha

With a ranking of #9, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 79 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UNL also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $19,663 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UNL.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 7 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $18,312 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Minnesota State Mankato

#11

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 8 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, South Dakota State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $20,754 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 more about Natural Resources Conservation at South Dakota State University

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $19,042 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 UMN Duluth Natural Resources Conservation Report

#13

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $15,985 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Southeast Missouri State University

#14

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. St Olaf College is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 23 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Olaf, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $22,977 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend St Olaf College.

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 low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at St Olaf College

#15

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $20,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Iowa.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, 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 88%.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Iowa

#16

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UMKC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, UMKC has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $17,241 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UMKC

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #23. It costs about $19,595 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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 Natural Resources Conservation at University of Missouri - Columbia

#18

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. K -State is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 23 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, K -State has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,892 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Kansas State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Kansas State University

#19

Macalester College

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Macalester College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Macalester also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Macalester is $26,382 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The 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 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 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Macalester College Natural Resources Conservation Report

#20

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota

Saint Johns University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #20. Collegeville, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

SJU also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Saint Johns University is $24,177 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Saint Johns University

#21

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k list, KU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $20,981 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full University of Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Report

#22

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota

With a ranking of #22, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Saint Peter, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s conservation degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gustavus Adolphus, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gustavus Adolphus is $20,755 for plains states region bachelor’s degree conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Gustavus Adolphus Natural Resources Conservation Report

#23

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

Luther College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Luther College is a small school located in Decorah, Iowa that handed out 13 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Luther College is $24,393 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Luther College

#24

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UIU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fayette, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UIU is $24,690 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UIU

#25

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 3 bachelors’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bethel University Minnesota, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bethel University Minnesota is $24,638 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Conservation students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bethel University Minnesota 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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