Natural Resources and Conservation
Natural Resources & Conservation · federal classification: Natural Resources Conservation and Research
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $48,824 | $35,574 to $59,667 | 6 | 67% |
| Associate's Degree | $44,513 | $35,240 to $50,338 | 6 | 67% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,573 | $48,137 to $59,542 | 281 | 94% |
| Master's Degree | $69,998 | $60,028 to $80,146 | 64 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +3% (2025 to 2035), about 52,800 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 | +3.8% | 32,700 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | +6.1% | 7,300 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | +6.9% | 5,300 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | -2.1% | 3,800 |
| Conservation Scientists | $73,010 | +5.3% | 2,100 |
| Foresters | $76,400 | +2.2% | 900 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a natural resources and conservation program, of 937 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- University of California-Berkeley
- Southern New Hampshire University
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of California-Santa Barbara
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- American Public University System
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.