2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Indiana

[Natural Resources & Conservation](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong natural resources & conservation education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for natural resources & conservation students.
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2027 Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in natural resources & conservation, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Natural Resources & Conservation Schools
For return on investment in natural resources & conservation, no school beat Purdue University Global this year. Purdue University Global is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Students from in state pay about $10,101 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,412. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $55,306 in student loans. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $48,361. That is a strong return on a $55,306 median debt.
Vincennes University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Set in the town of Vincennes, Vincennes University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,126, while out-of-state students pay about $16,858. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Vincennes University generally make around $32,138. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in natural resources & conservation will find it at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,559 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $43,516. Set against $19,559 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earned it the #4 place for natural resources & conservation. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,762, with out-of-state students paying around $34,891. Students borrow a median of $29,076 to complete the natural resources & conservation program here. Early-career natural resources & conservation graduates make about $32,469. Set against $29,076 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis admits about 76% of applicants.
Indiana University Bloomington came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value natural resources & conservation schools. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,144, while out-of-state students pay about $41,891. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $41,918. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Ball State University earned the #6 position for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,082, with out-of-state students paying around $29,630. Typical student debt for natural resources & conservation graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Ball State University generally make around $34,000. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Grace College And Theological Seminary came in at #7 for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Grace College And Theological Seminary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Winona Lake. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $29,645. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $21,211 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from Grace College And Theological Seminary generally make around $42,188. That is a strong return on a $21,211 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Notre Dame came in at #8 for value in natural resources & conservation this year. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,025. Natural Resources & Conservation graduates carry a median of $18,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients from University Of Notre Dame generally make around $69,494. That is a strong return on a $18,625 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.