by our College Data Analytics Team
[Natural Resource Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a natural resource management degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 32 schools to find where natural resource management graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
The natural resource management program you select can have a big impact on your future earnings. That is why we built our Highest Paid Natural Resource Management Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its natural resource management graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Read more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Natural Resource Management Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Below are the schools whose natural resource management graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked California State University Bakersfield the top school for natural resource management graduate earnings in the United States. California State University Bakersfield is a public school located in the city of Bakersfield. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from California State University Bakersfield typically earn about $76,104 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in natural resource management will find them at Marist College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist College is a private not-for-profit institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of Marist College earn a median of about $75,821 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Central Michigan University earned it the #3 place for natural resource management. Central Michigan University is a public school located in the town of Mount Pleasant. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from Central Michigan University typically earn about $70,146 annually.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public school located in the city of Fort Collins. Natural Resource Management graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of about $65,688 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in natural resource management will find them at Metropolitan State College Of Denver, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a public institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of Metropolitan State College Of Denver earn a median of about $64,712 a year early in their careers.
1
2
3
4
5
University Of Miami landed the #6 spot for natural resource management salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Coral Gables, University Of Miami is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from University Of Miami typically earn about $55,112 annually.
Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry earned the #7 position for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Syracuse, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a public institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry earn a median of about $54,010 a year early in their careers.
University Of Rhode Island ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. University Of Rhode Island is a public school located in the suburb of Kingston. Natural Resource Management graduates of University Of Rhode Island earn a median of about $64,504 a year early in their careers.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #9 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo typically earn about $69,368 annually.
Michigan State University came in at #10 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Michigan State University is a public school located in the city of East Lansing. Natural Resource Management graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of about $48,967 a year early in their careers.
North Dakota State University Main Campus came in at #11 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $60,668.
Unity College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Unity College is a private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of New Gloucester. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,268.
Glenville State College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Located in the rural area of Glenville, Glenville State College is a public institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Glenville State College make a median of around $57,986 per year.
Humboldt State University landed the #14 spot for natural resource management salaries this year. Located in the town of Arcata, Humboldt State University is a public institution. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from Humboldt State University typically earn about $47,629 annually.
West Virginia University landed the #15 spot for natural resource management salaries this year. Set in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a public institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of West Virginia University earn a median of about $47,232 a year early in their careers.
Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science came in at #16 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Paul Smiths, Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science is a private not-for-profit institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science earn a median of about $55,219 a year early in their careers.
University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point came in at #17 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the town of Stevens Point, University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point is a public institution. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Stevens Point typically earn about $53,081 annually.
St Petersburg College ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. St Petersburg College is a public school located in the city of St. Petersburg. Early-career natural resource management graduates from St Petersburg College make a median of around $52,247 per year.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Located in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a public institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College make a median of around $57,520 per year.
Texas A And M University College Station earned the #20 position for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a public institution. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station typically earn about $60,521 annually.
Everglades University placed #21 among the highest-paying schools for natural resource management. Set in the city of Boca Raton, Everglades University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Everglades University make a median of around $41,859 per year.
Oregon State University placed #22 among the highest-paying schools for natural resource management. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a public institution. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $45,158.
University Of New Hampshire Main Campus ranked #23 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Located in the town of Durham, University Of New Hampshire Main Campus is a public institution. Natural Resource Management graduates of University Of New Hampshire Main Campus earn a median of about $41,681 a year early in their careers.
Western Carolina University came in at #24 for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Western Carolina University is a public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $42,455.
Ohio State University Main Campus placed #25 among the highest-paying schools for natural resource management. Ohio State University Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Columbus. Natural Resource Management graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of about $44,703 a year early in their careers.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid natural resource management ranking:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their natural resource management graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 32 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
