2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region
43
Ranked Colleges
4,118
Degrees Awarded
$15,700
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.
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 the Great Lakes region, there were 4,118 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,801 and $23,385 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 43 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in natural resources and conservation. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent natural resources and conservation programs, but they also cost less that 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Natural Resources & Conservation Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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 Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 295 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region natural resources & conservation students list, UW - Stevens Point has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,346 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UW - Stevens Point
Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University Global landed the #2 spot on the list. Purdue University Global is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 23 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue University Global also took the #19 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.
Full Purdue University Global Natural Resources & Conservation Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 61 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Green Bay, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,092 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.
Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 34 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - River Falls also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,844 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central Michigan University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region. Central Michigan is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 45 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
Central Michigan also took the #24 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Central Michigan University Natural Resources & Conservation Report
Grand Valley State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $17,356 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Grand Valley State University
Hocking College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Hocking College is a small school located in Nelsonville, Ohio that handed out 101 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Hocking College is $14,372 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Hocking College
With a ranking of #8, Vincennes University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Vincennes University is a public institution located in Vincennes, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Vincennes University is $11,518 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Vincennes University
University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 27 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Springfield is $12,034 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at UIS
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 57 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
SIUC also took the #25 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,285 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at SIUC
With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 27 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,417 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
With a ranking of #12, University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a public institution located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Stout is $15,589 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
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%.
Full UW - Stout Natural Resources & Conservation Report
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 124 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region natural resources & conservation students list, Purdue has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $13,377 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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%.
Full Purdue University - Main Campus Natural Resources & Conservation Report
Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 51 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $16,943 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend Cleveland State University.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Cleveland State University
Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Kent State University at Kent is $19,117 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Kent State University at Kent
With a ranking of #16, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 33 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $14,765 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full Ball State University Natural Resources & Conservation Report
Northern Michigan University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Marquette, Michigan, and it awarded 66 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Northern Michigan University is $15,214 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Northern Michigan University
Lake Superior State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, and it awarded 38 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,668 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend Lake Superior State University.
Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Lake Superior State University
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UWM is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 66 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $17,486 for Great Lakes Region Natural Resources & Conservation students per year to attend UWM.
Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Natural Resources & Conservation Report
With a ranking of #20, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $13,956 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at NIU
University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 491 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $17,234 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 UW - Madison Natural Resources & Conservation Report
With a ranking of #22, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for OHIO Athens is $23,831 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at OHIO Athens
University of Toledo did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. University of Toledo is a fairly large school located in Toledo, Ohio that handed out 30 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,312 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students per year to attend University of Toledo.
Full University of Toledo Natural Resources & Conservation Report
With a ranking of #24, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region natural resources & conservation students list, UC has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC is $22,415 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
With a ranking of #25, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington also took the #3 spot in our “Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $14,619 for great lakes region natural resources & conservation students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 91%.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Natural Resources & Conservation Report
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