College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s

13 Ranked Colleges
419 Degrees Awarded
$57,370 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master's

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s” ranking.

Natural Resources Conservation is the 49th most popular major in the country with 22,254 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

Across California, there were 3,504 natural resources conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,140 and $19,839 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 13 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 a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the natural resources conservation program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Conservation Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s”.

Top 13 Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in California

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s conservation degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree vets studying conservation list, UC Irvine has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 36,303 students enrolled at UC Irvine, 8 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,620. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 University of California - Irvine Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s list. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 13 masters’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list.According to our most recent data, University of California - Davis supports 39,074 students, and 31 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 23 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,489. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

3

Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #3 spot on the list. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 90 masters’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 26,179 students enrolled at UCSB, 286 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,510. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of California - Santa Barbara]](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara/student-life/veterans/)

4
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of San Francisco. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s. USFCA is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USFCA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 6 of the 10,068 students enrolled at USFCA were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,232. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full USFCA Veteran Student Life Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s conservation students in 2020-2021.

UCR also took the #11 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 26,434 students enrolled at University of California - Riverside, 11 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,182. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of California - Riverside offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

6
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8.Our most recent data shows that 660 of the 36,208 students enrolled at San Jose State were GI Bill® students, of which 384 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,909. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 San Jose State University Veteran Student Life Report

7
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking. University of San Diego is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 10 masters’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USD, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 8,861 students enrolled at University of San Diego, 44 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 28 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $22,598. To help with additional expenses, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

Read More…

8

California State University - Fullerton came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #12 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 42,051 students enrolled at Cal State Fullerton, 748 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 342 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,729. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Cal State Fullerton offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 89%.

Read More…

9
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Humboldt State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list.Our most recent data shows that 177 of the 6,612 students enrolled at Humboldt State University were GI Bill® students, of which 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,772. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Humboldt State University]](/colleges/humboldt-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

10

University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s conservation degrees to qualified students.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #9 spot in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 273 of the 19,161 students enrolled at University of California - Santa Cruz were GI Bill® students, of which 114 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,631. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Santa Cruz Veteran Student Life Report

11

California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s ranking. California State University - Monterey Bay is a public institution located in Seaside, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree vets studying conservation list, CSUMB has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 7,409 students enrolled at California State University - Monterey Bay, 20 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,369. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. California State University - Monterey Bay offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at CSUMB]](/colleges/california-state-university-monterey-bay/student-life/veterans/)

12

With a ranking of #12, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s list. Monterey, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s conservation degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

Middlebury Institute not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list.Among the 686 students enrolled at Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, 36 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 34 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,444. To help with additional expenses, 24 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Veteran Student Life Report

13

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Conservation for a Master’s list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 10 masters’s conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Natural Resources Conservation Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13.According to our most recent data, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo supports 22,440 students, and 268 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 128 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,027. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options