2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation in Illinois

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 22,202 people earned their degree in natural resources conservation, making the major the 50th most popular in the United States. 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. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 88 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 4 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. 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 Master’s in Illinois” 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. 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 Master’s in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation in Illinois

#1

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, Illinois

#2 in overall quality

$30,083 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$49,683 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 26 masters’s conservation degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #2 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#2

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

#3 in overall quality

$16,757 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$48,823 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree conservation students list, UIS has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757.

Read more about Natural Resources Conservation at University of Illinois at Springfield

#3

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, Illinois

#4 in overall quality

$32,928 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree conservation students list, SIUC has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#4

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

#1 in overall quality

$61,548 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Conservation Schools for a Master’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified masters’s conservation students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Natural Resources Conservation at UChicago

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• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Natural Resources Conservation

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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