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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Plains States Region

106 Ranked Colleges
1,809 Degrees Awarded
$23,300 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 30,503 people earned their degree in natural resources and conservation, making the major the 25th most popular in the United States. 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 Plains States region, there were 1,809 natural resources and conservation graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,184 and $23,681 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 106 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in natural resources and conservation. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in natural resources and conservation.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 “Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region natural resources & conservation students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Plains States Region

1

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Vermilion Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Vermilion Community College is a small public school situated in Ely, Minnesota. It awarded 69 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Vermilion Community College

2
Sinte Gleska University crest
Sinte Gleska University
Mission, South Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sinte Gleska University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Sinte Gleska University is a public institution located in Mission, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Sinte Gleska University

3

Out of the 106 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Haskell Indian Nations University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this small public school handed out 19 degrees to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Haskell Indian Nations University

4
NHSC crest
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
New Town, North Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. NHSC is a small school located in New Town, North Dakota that handed out 2 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College

5
Itasca Community College crest
Itasca Community College
Grand Rapids, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Itasca Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Itasca Community College

6

University of Minnesota - Morris ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Morris, Minnesota, and it awarded 12 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at UMN Morris

7
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #7, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

8
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Peter, Minnesota 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 17 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Gustavus Adolphus College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

9
Sitting Bull College crest
Sitting Bull College
Fort Yates, North Dakota

Sitting Bull College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Fort Yates, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.

Full Sitting Bull College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

9
CCCC crest
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Fort Totten, North Dakota

Cankdeska Cikana Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. CCCC is a small public school situated in Fort Totten, North Dakota. It awarded 1 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at CCCC

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Minnesota - Crookston did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Crookston, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Minnesota - Crookston

12
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Northfield, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

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 0.8% 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 St. Olaf

13
CSB crest
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, Minnesota

College of Saint Benedict came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking. College of Saint Benedict is located in Saint Joseph, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at CSB

14
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

Luther College ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Luther is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decorah, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 Luther Natural Resources & Conservation Report

15
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Macalester is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 19 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Macalester College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

16
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

Carleton College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Carleton College is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 15 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Carleton College

17
Concordia College Moorhead crest
Concordia College at Moorhead
Moorhead, Minnesota

Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Concordia College at Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Concordia College at Moorhead Natural Resources & Conservation Report

18
Hard Work U crest
College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Missouri

College of the Ozarks ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Point Lookout, Missouri, and it awarded 10 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Full College of the Ozarks Natural Resources & Conservation Report

19
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 74 diplomas to qualified ’s natural resources and conservation students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at South Dakota State

20
Cottey College crest
Cottey College
Nevada, Missouri

Cottey College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. Nevada, Missouri 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 2 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Cottey College Natural Resources & Conservation Report

21
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Cornell College is a small school located in Mount Vernon, Iowa that handed out 8 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Cornell College

22
Valley City State University crest
Valley City State University
Valley City, North Dakota

Valley City State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. This small school is located in Valley City, North Dakota, and it awarded 11 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Natural Resources & Conservation at Valley City State University

23
SJU crest
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, Minnesota

With a ranking of #23, Saint Johns University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. SJU is a small school located in Collegeville, Minnesota that handed out 10 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 about Natural Resources & Conservation at Saint Johns University

24

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #24. UNL is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 138 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

25
Briar Cliff crest
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, Iowa

Briar Cliff University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Natural Resources & Conservation Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Sioux City, Iowa, and it awarded 6 ’s natural resources and conservation degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Natural Resources & Conservation at Briar Cliff

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