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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation in the Great Lakes Region

16 Ranked Colleges
403 Degrees Awarded
$28,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that 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 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 403 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree 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.

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 Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 Master’s in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree conservation students.

Top 16 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation in the Great Lakes Region

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 44 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UW - Madison Natural Resources Conservation Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 18 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay also took the #8 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Green Bay are $19,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. UIS is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 23 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree conservation students list, UIS has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UIS

#4

Purdue University Global

Indianapolis, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University Global. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s conservation degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Purdue University Global did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University Global are $10,674, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Purdue University Global

#5

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Stevens Point are $19,178, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at UW - Stevens Point

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 64 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #4 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at IU Bloomington

#7

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio
#13 in overall quality

Cleveland State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Cleveland State University is a public institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cleveland State University also took the #13 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cleveland State University are $17,622.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Cleveland State University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 26 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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

#11 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 4 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UM Dearborn are $25,072, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Michigan - Dearborn Natural Resources Conservation Report

#10

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. DePaul is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 2 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree conservation students list, DePaul has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full DePaul Natural Resources Conservation Report

Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree conservation students list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at OHIO Athens are $17,712.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Natural Resources Conservation Report

#10 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 11 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree conservation students list, SIUC has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUC are $32,928, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Natural Resources Conservation Report

#7 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 10 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at Miami University - Oxford are $31,697, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Miami University - Oxford Natural Resources Conservation Report

With a ranking of #14, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified masters’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at Ohio State

#15

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 129 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree conservation students list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Natural Resources Conservation Report

#16

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 masters’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Chicago

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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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