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2025 Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

241 Colleges in the United States
31,316 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,408 Avg Early-Career Salary
Natural Resources & Conservation degree programs are on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of popularity. In fact, the major ranks #25 out of the 38 majors we look at each year. While this may limit the number of schools that offer the degree program, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 241 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 31,316 degrees in natural resources & conservation annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Natural Resources & Conservation School

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools Your choice of natural resources & conservation school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Natural Resources & Conservation School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Bachelor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Master's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Doctor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools list to help you make the college decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Natural Resources & Conservation in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of natural resources & conservation degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Natural Resources & Conservation

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
550 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$48,948 Median Starting Salary

University of California - Berkeley is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in natural resources & conservation. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 550 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Those natural resources & conservation students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley earn $10,540 more than the standard natural resources & conservation graduate.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of California - Berkeley

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
176 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$60,902 Median Starting Salary

Any student pursuing a degree in natural resources & conservation has to look into Duke University. Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 176 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from Duke University get an earnings boost of approximately $22,494 above the typical earnings of natural resources & conservation graduates.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Duke University

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation Program Name

Develop a broad-based interdisciplinary skill set to solve complex environmental problems like climate change, alternative energy and sustainability with a specialized online degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
357 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$35,434 Median Starting Salary

It's hard to beat Texas A&M University - College Station if you wish to pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the medium-sized city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #42 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Texas A&M College Station is a great university overall.

There were roughly 357 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent data year. After graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically earn about $35,434 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Texas A&M University - College Station

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
261 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
6.1% Growth in Graduates

It's hard to beat University of Washington - Seattle Campus if you want to pursue a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the large city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.

There were approximately 261 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program state that they receive average early career wages of $35,991.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
367 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$36,209 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 367 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program state that they receive average early career income of $36,209.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of California - Davis

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
485 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$29,238 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #40 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.

There were about 485 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, natural resources & conservation degree recipients generally make an average of $29,238 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Wisconsin - Madison

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
177 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
11.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Amherst, UMass Amherst is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were approximately 177 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UMass Amherst in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program state that they receive average early career wages of $31,654.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Massachusetts Amherst

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Environmental Science Program Name

Learn to analyze environmental issues and repair and prevent damage caused by climate change with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Environmental Science from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
352 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
11.4% Growth in Graduates

U-M is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were approximately 352 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year. Those natural resources & conservation students who get their degree from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor earn $7,282 more than the average natural resources & conservation student.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
110 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
2.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 110 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically earn an average of $31,944 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of California - Los Angeles

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
347 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
4.0% Growth in Graduates

NC State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Raleigh. This university ranks 4th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were about 347 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at NC State in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the natural resources & conservation program at North Carolina State University get $7,059 above the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from North Carolina State University

11
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
14th Most Popular In CA
88 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded

USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 88 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Southern California

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Environmental Science - Data Analytics in Science Program Name

Help solve real environmental challenges through data with this specialized environmental science degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BS in Environmental Science - Data Analytics in Science from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
229 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$30,899 Median Starting Salary

WWU is a large public university located in the city of Bellingham. This university ranks 5th out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were roughly 229.00000000000003 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at WWU in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program make about $30,899 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Western Washington University

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
222 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$34,603 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were approximately 222 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program report average early career earnings of $34,603.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
406 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,353 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 406 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program make about $38,353 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of California - Santa Barbara

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
167 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$29,152 Median Starting Salary

UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz. This university ranks 13th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 167 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent data year. After graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients usually earn around $29,152 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of California - Santa Cruz

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MBA in Sustainability & Environmental Compliance Program Name

Learn to fit environmental standards into your business practices when you earn your sustainability and environmental compliance MBA at Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in MBA in Sustainability & Environmental Compliance from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
117 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$41,790 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #35 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were about 117 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Those natural resources & conservation students who get their degree from University of Virginia - Main Campus make $3,382 more than the average natural resources & conservation graduate.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Virginia - Main Campus

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
106 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$41,621 Median Starting Salary

Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.

There were approximately 106 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent year we have data available. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from Cornell University receive an earnings boost of about $3,213 above the average income of natural resources & conservation graduates.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Cornell University

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
95 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
3.2% Growth in Graduates

Northeastern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Boston. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northeastern is a great university overall.

There were about 95 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the natural resources & conservation degree program at Northeastern University make $12,729 more than the standard graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Northeastern University

19
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
412 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
2.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 2nd out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 412 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent data year. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from Virginia Tech earn a boost of approximately $8,040 over the typical earnings of natural resources & conservation majors.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Virginia Tech

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
4.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 18 colleges for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were roughly 125 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program earn about $26,899 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Connecticut

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
148 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$34,567 Median Starting Salary

UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were approximately 148 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients generally make about $34,567 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

22
UVM crest
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
277 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$26,871 Median Starting Salary

UVM is a fairly large public university located in the city of Burlington. This university ranks 4th out of 9 schools for overall quality in the state of Vermont.

There were about 277 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UVM in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program earn around $26,871 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Vermont

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
173 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
10.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Tucson, University of Arizona is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were about 173 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at University of Arizona in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program make around $30,645 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Arizona

24
The American University crest
American University
Washington, DC
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
4.4% Growth in Graduates

The American University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Washington. This university ranks 3rd out of 7 colleges for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.

There were approximately 68 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at The American University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the natural resources & conservation degree program at American University get $35,123 more than the standard college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from American University

25
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
124 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,419 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 37 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 124 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program earn about $38,419 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Iowa State University

Rest of the Top Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools

26
27
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
28
29
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
30
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
31
32

33

34
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
35
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA
36
37
38
39
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
40
41

42
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL

43
44
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, ME
45
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
46
47
48

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Natural Resources & Conservation students that almost earned our Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools award.

Rank College Location
49 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
50 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
51 California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA
52 American Public University System Charles Town, WV
53 Columbia Southern University Orange Beach, AL
54 University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI
55 South Dakota State University Brookings, SD
56 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
57 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
58 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
59 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
60 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
61 Fordham University Bronx, NY
62 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
63 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
64 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ
65 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
66 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
67 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
68 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
69 Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA
70 Humboldt State University Arcata, CA
71 Auburn University Auburn, AL
72 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
73 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
74 Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA
75 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
76 University of Redlands Redlands, CA
77 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
78 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
79 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
80 University of Rochester Rochester, NY

Natural Resources & Conservation by Region

View the Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Natural Resources & Conservation Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Natural Resources Conservation 22,926
Natural Resource Management 3,039
Wildlife Management 2,446
Forestry 2,247
Fisheries Sciences 506
Natural Resources Conservation (Other) 152

View All Natural Resources & Conservation Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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