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2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

26 Ranked Colleges
4,046 Degrees Awarded
$12,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Natural Resources & Conservation is the 25th most popular major in the country with 30,503 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, natural resources and conservation graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,158 and had an average of $23,267 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 4,046 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,789 and $19,882 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in natural resources and conservation. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality natural resources and conservation programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the natural resources and conservation program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The natural resources & 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 Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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 Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation (Income $30-$48k) in California

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 616 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $9,999 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UC Berkeley

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 101 students in 2020-2021.

UCLA also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of California - Los Angeles

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 370 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $11,598 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 93%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UC Davis

4

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Irvine, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,449 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Irvine.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of California - Irvine

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 470 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

UCSB also took the #3 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,606 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCSB.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UCSB

6

University of California - San Diego came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $11,176 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 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%.

Full University of California - San Diego Natural Resources & Conservation Report

7
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #7, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 109 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $9,274 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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 undergraduate students.

Full San Diego State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report

8

University of California - Riverside ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR also took the #16 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $8,193 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of California - Riverside

9

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 227 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,049 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UC Santa Cruz

10
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 66 students in 2020-2021.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,378 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Jose State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at San Jose State

11

California State University - Monterey Bay came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Seaside, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 87 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUMB, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,711 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUMB.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 CSUMB

12

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $7,573 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Long Beach Natural Resources & Conservation Report

13

California State University - Sacramento ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $9,055 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State Natural Resources & Conservation Report

14

With a ranking of #14, California State University - East Bay did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 22 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State East Bay also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $11,025 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State East Bay.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Cal State East Bay

15

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 153 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Natural Resources & Conservation Report

16
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, SFSU has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,862 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SFSU.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at San Francisco State University

17

California State University - San Marcos came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school handed out 52 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,348 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUSM.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at CSUSM

18
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 332 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, Humboldt State University has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $12,298 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Humboldt State University

19

California State University - Chico landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Chico is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 39 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Chico State also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $13,040 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at California State University - Chico

20
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Santa Clara University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clara, California. It awarded 46 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SCU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $23,508 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Santa Clara University.

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 0.7% 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 Santa Clara University

21
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SSU is a medium-sized school located in Rohnert Park, California that handed out 23 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

SSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Sonoma State University is $13,983 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full SSU Natural Resources & Conservation Report

22
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 32 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Oxy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,475 for California Natural Resources & Conservation students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Occidental College.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Oxy

23
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Redlands, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $22,360 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Redlands Natural Resources & Conservation Report

24
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #24, University of San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 52 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USD, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USD is $22,334 for california natural resources & conservation students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 USD Natural Resources & Conservation Report

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