Natural Resources Conservation and Research Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Natural Resources Conservation and Research maps to BLS occupations averaging about $124,548, with roughly 73,210 workers nationwide in those roles. Median in-state published tuition is about $7,378; common paths include Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping and Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
Key Statistics
Natural Resources Conservation and Research: what the data shows
Common questions about natural resources conservation and research degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a natural resources conservation and research degree?
A Natural Resources Conservation and Research program is classified under NCES CIP 00.0301 in the Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General field family (00.03).
Types of natural resources conservation and research degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.03 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management (CIP 00.0303)
- Forestry (CIP 00.0305)
- Natural Resources Management and Policy (CIP 00.0302)
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (CIP 00.0306)
What do you learn in natural resources conservation and research?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a natural resources conservation and research degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links Natural Resources Conservation and Research to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | 92,580 | $49,440 |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,310 | $100,830 |
| Human Resources Managers | 215,520 | $140,030 |
| Conservation Scientists | 25,590 | $67,950 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | 5,630 | $43,680 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 156,260 | $51,500 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a natural resources conservation and research degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $7,378 and median net price is $17,883.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Natural Resources Conservation and Research and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$7,378 Median In-State Public
$42,286 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors are, on average, $7,378 for in-state public colleges, and $42,286 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Natural Resources Conservation and Research programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
N/A Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Natural Resources Conservation and Research from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 156,755 |
| 2 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 76,996 |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 68,619 |
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Natural Resources Conservation and Research programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haskell Indian Nations University | KS | $600 |
| 2 | Tohono O'odham Community College | AZ | $932 |
| 3 | Copper Mountain Community College | CA | $1,114 |
| 4 | Lake Tahoe Community College | CA | $1,131 |
| 5 | Chabot College | CA | $1,150 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Natural Resources Conservation and Research programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College | MI | $529 |
| 2 | Henry Ford College | MI | $576 |
| 3 | Oxnard College | CA | $659 |
| 4 | Moorpark College | CA | $742 |
| 5 | Reedley College | CA | $1,584 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Natural Resources Conservation and Research programs.
Graduation Rates
53.65% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
55.42% Average Graduation Rate
90 Institutions Reporting
43.10% - 68.26% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Natural Resources Conservation and Research programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.03 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management CIP 00.0303
- Forestry CIP 00.0305
- Natural Resources Management and Policy CIP 00.0302
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management CIP 00.0306
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $124,548. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $59,617 | 92,580 |
| Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary | $89,673 | 1,310 |
| Human Resources Managers | $202,537 | 215,520 |
| Conservation Scientists | $90,227 | 25,590 |
| Forest and Conservation Workers | $44,912 | 5,630 |
| Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | $64,234 | 156,260 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$115,988 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors is $115,988.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors.
Occupations by Share
73,210 2023 Workforce
The number of Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Natural Resources Conservation and Research by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Natural Resources Conservation and Research in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Age distribution for Natural Resources Conservation and Research degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of Natural Resources Conservation and Research degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of Natural Resources Conservation and Research degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Natural Resources Conservation and Research are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Natural Resources Conservation and Research field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Natural Resources Conservation and Research majors.
About
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
In 2023, N/A degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Natural Resources Conservation and Research.
CIP Code
00.0301 - Natural Resources Conservation and Research
What the data shows
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $124,548. The largest mapped role by headcount is Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping (92,580 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $7,378 in-state at public colleges and $42,286 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.