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2025 Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in North Carolina

7 Colleges in North Carolina
1,288 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.

College Factual reviewed 7 schools in North Carolina to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of natural resources & conservation. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,288 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 in North Carolina 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

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

The natural resources & conservation school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in North Carolina. 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 North Carolina

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.

Top North Carolina Schools in Natural Resources & Conservation

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
176 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$60,902 Median Starting Salary

Duke University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

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

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

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
347 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
4.0% Growth in Graduates

North Carolina State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in natural resources & conservation. NC State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Raleigh. A Best Colleges rank of #122 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means NC State is a great university overall.

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 earn $7,059 above the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from North Carolina State 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
148 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$34,567 Median Starting Salary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a good decision for students interested in a degree in natural resources & conservation. UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly 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 about 148 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically earn about $34,567 in their early careers.

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

4
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
119 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$27,631 Median Starting Salary

Appalachian State University is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 11th out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were about 119 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Appalachian State in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically earn an average of $27,631 at the beginning of their careers.

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

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
113 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$30,214 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize city of Wilmington, UNCW is a public university with a large student population. This university ranks 12th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 113 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNCW in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients generally make an average of $30,214 in their early careers.

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

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$25,758 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small city of Asheville, UNCA is a public university with a small student population. This university ranks 61st out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 59 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNCA in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients usually make an average of $25,758 in the first five years of their career.

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

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
55 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
25.5% Growth in Graduates

WCU is a fairly large public university located in the town of Cullowhee. This university ranks 36th out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were roughly 55 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at WCU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program report average early career wages of $36,846.

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

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Natural Resources & Conservation Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
West Virginia 38 672
Mississippi 38 190
South Carolina 38 255
Florida 38 1,269
Virginia 38 794
Arkansas 38 161
Alabama 37 339
Kentucky 37 145
Georgia 37 375
Tennessee 37 315
Louisiana 37 191

View All Rankings >

Natural Resources & Conservation Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Natural Resources Conservation 1,008
Forestry 188
Natural Resource Management 80
Wildlife Management 12

View All Natural Resources & Conservation Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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