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2023 Best Value Colleges for Wildlife Management

43 Ranked Colleges
2,449 Degrees Awarded
$14,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Wildlife Schools

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Wildlife Schools” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 2,449 people earned their degree in wildlife management, making the major the 186th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, wildlife management graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $26,447 and had an average of $23,043 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Wildlife Schools” ranking analyzed 43 colleges that offered a degree in wildlife management. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent wildlife management programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the wildlife management program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Wildlife Schools” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Wildlife Schools

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Wildlife Schools.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Wildlife Management

1
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 41 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $18,578 for wildlife 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%.

Full South Dakota State University Wildlife Management Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 65 ’s wildlife degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stevens Point, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $13,346 for wildlife students.

Full UW - Stevens Point Wildlife Management Report

3
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Clemson University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Wildlife Schools. Clemson is a large school located in Clemson, South Carolina that handed out 47 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Clemson, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clemson University is $21,262 for Wildlife students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Clemson University

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Wildlife Schools. Located in Rexburg, Idaho, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified ’s wildlife students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,698 for wildlife students per year to attend BYU - I.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Brigham Young University - Idaho

5
Haywood Community College crest
Haywood Community College
Clyde, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Haywood Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Clyde, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Haywood Community College is $6,940 for wildlife students.

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.

Full Haywood Community College Wildlife Management Report

6
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking, coming in at #6. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

Texas Tech also took the #19 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. It costs about $16,194 for wildlife students per year to attend Texas Tech.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas Tech Wildlife Management Report

7
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #7, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Bemidji State University is located in Bemidji, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s wildlife degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $16,033 for wildlife students per year to attend Bemidji State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Bemidji State University

8
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. This large school is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi, and it awarded 74 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

Mississippi State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Mississippi State is $16,122 for Wildlife students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Mississippi State

9

Utah State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Located in Logan, Utah, this large public school handed out 43 diplomas to qualified ’s wildlife students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USU, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Utah State University is $13,257 for wildlife students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USU Wildlife Management Report

10
Valley City State University crest
Valley City State University
Valley City, North Dakota

Valley City State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. Valley City, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Valley City State University is $11,676 for Wildlife students.

Read more about Wildlife Management at Valley City State University

11
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking, coming in at #11. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 75 students in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $5,135 for wildlife students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full University of Florida Wildlife Management Report

12
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, this large public school handed out 76 degrees to qualified ’s wildlife students in 2020-2021.

WVU also made our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend WVU is $13,355 for wildlife students.

Full WVU Wildlife Management Report

13

Northwest Missouri State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. Northwest is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $12,925 for wildlife students.

Full Northwest Missouri State University Wildlife Management Report

14

Tennessee Technological University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 50 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

Tennessee Tech University also took the #25 spot in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee Technological University is $15,932 for Wildlife students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Wildlife Management at Tennessee Tech University

15

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking, coming in at #15. Stephen F Austin State University is a public institution located in Nacogdoches, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our wildlife students list, SFASU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,393 for Wildlife students per year to attend Stephen F Austin State University.

Full SFASU Wildlife Management Report

16

With a ranking of #16, University of Nevada - Reno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. UNR is a large public school situated in Reno, Nevada. It awarded 42 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

UNR also made our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend University of Nevada - Reno is $14,930 for Wildlife students.

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%.

Full UNR Wildlife Management Report

17
Unity crest
Unity College
Unity, Maine

Unity College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Unity College is a small school located in Unity, Maine that handed out 40 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Unity College is $26,261 for Wildlife students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Unity College

18

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking, coming in at #18. Springfield, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,718 for wildlife students per year to attend Missouri State University - Springfield.

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 Wildlife Management at Missouri State University - Springfield

19
ATU crest
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, Arkansas

With a ranking of #19, Arkansas Tech University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Arkansas Tech University is a medium-sized school located in Russellville, Arkansas that handed out 25 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Arkansas Tech University is $11,721 for wildlife students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at ATU

20
Hocking Technical College crest
Hocking College
Nelsonville, Ohio

With a ranking of #20, Hocking College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. Hocking College is a small school located in Nelsonville, Ohio that handed out 41 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Hocking Technical College is $14,372 for wildlife students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at Hocking Technical College

21
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 96 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $14,956 for Wildlife students.

Read more about Wildlife Management at Humboldt State University

22
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. Oregon State University is a public institution located in Corvallis, Oregon. The school has a large population, and it awarded 58 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our wildlife students list, Oregon State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” ranking. It costs about $21,508 for Wildlife students per year to attend Oregon State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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.

Full Oregon State University Wildlife Management Report

23

New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. New Mexico State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,428 for Wildlife students per year to attend New Mexico State University - Main Campus.

Full New Mexico State University - Main Campus Wildlife Management Report

24

With a ranking of #24, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools list. UT Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 59 ’s wildlife degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville also made our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $18,579 for wildlife students per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, 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 89%.

Full UT Knoxville Wildlife Management Report

25
UM crest
The University of Montana
Missoula, Montana

The University of Montana landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Wildlife Schools ranking. Missoula, Montana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s wildlife degrees to 81 students in 2020-2021.

UM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Wildlife Management Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UM is $14,755 for Wildlife students.

Read full report on Wildlife Management at The University of Montana

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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