Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 03.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 378 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 58 | 250 | $44,701 | $56,263 | $14,750 1 programs |
| Associate's degree | 41 | 183 | $33,513 | $42,169 | $11,500 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 101 | 1,379 | $43,384 | $56,185 | $21,750 29 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 104 | 982 | $59,757 | $72,563 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 23 | 18 | $74,633 | $76,718 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 46 | 278 | $70,356 | $72,516 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota North College MN · Public · 39 graduates measured | $40,682 | $63,891 | $14,750 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hocking College OH · Public · 64 graduates measured | $34,710 | $42,181 | $11,000 |
| Pikes Peak State College CO · Public · 20 graduates measured | $25,552 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 24 graduates measured | $68,734 | Data unavailable | $34,750 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 24 graduates measured | $68,734 | Data unavailable | $34,750 |
| University of New Hampshire-Main Campus NH · Public · 24 graduates measured | $59,990 | $71,279 | Data unavailable |
| West Virginia University WV · Public · 35 graduates measured | $59,962 | $75,022 | $25,000 |
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 24 graduates measured | $54,195 | $68,913 | $21,000 |
| University of Rhode Island RI · Public · 22 graduates measured | $53,168 | $72,311 | $19,500 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 77 graduates measured | $50,871 | $68,965 | $16,871 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 18 graduates measured | $50,722 | $54,665 | Data unavailable |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry NY · Public · 24 graduates measured | $49,930 | $65,604 | $20,250 |
| Everglades University FL · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $49,184 | $61,850 | $45,913 |
| Glenville State University WV · Public · 22 graduates measured | $45,647 | $46,610 | $23,840 |
| Unity Environmental University ME · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $45,263 | $53,934 | $19,185 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ · Public · 35 graduates measured | $44,576 | $52,242 | $18,500 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University OK · Public · 26 graduates measured | $43,872 | Data unavailable | $16,882 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point WI · Public · 89 graduates measured | $43,255 | $53,642 | $21,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University MT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $72,183 | $83,329 | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA · Public · 106 graduates measured | $71,365 | $85,049 | Data unavailable |
| Oregon State University OR · Public · 55 graduates measured | $66,953 | $68,968 | Data unavailable |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus OR · Public · 55 graduates measured | $66,953 | $68,968 | Data unavailable |
| University of Denver CO · Private, nonprofit · 170 graduates measured | $64,376 | $88,331 | Data unavailable |
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 89 graduates measured | $63,973 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Idaho ID · Public · 50 graduates measured | $63,970 | $56,153 | Data unavailable |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI · Public · 27 graduates measured | $58,405 | $65,292 | Data unavailable |
| Florida International University FL · Public · 18 graduates measured | $56,347 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ND · Public · 20 graduates measured | $54,788 | $67,825 | Data unavailable |
| University of Rhode Island RI · Public · 32 graduates measured | $50,349 | $68,281 | Data unavailable |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 23 graduates measured | $50,245 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ · Public · 23 graduates measured | $50,245 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa HI · Public · 17 graduates measured | $49,703 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public · 41 graduates measured | $48,442 | $64,235 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling | $79,520 | +6.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Compliance officers | $80,730 | +3.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Conservation scientists | $73,010 | +5.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Foresters | $76,400 | +2.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Economists | $124,720 | +4.7% | Master's degree |
| Social scientists and related workers, all other | $101,110 | -0.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Social science research assistants | $61,990 | +5.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary | $101,420 | +2.8% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Economics teachers, postsecondary | $123,920 | +2.4% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Criminal justice and law enforcement teachers, postsecondary | $76,590 | +1.5% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| First-line supervisors of police and detectives | $106,040 | +3.3% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers | $93,530 | +3.7% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Firefighters | $59,280 | +3.7% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists | $56,870 | +13.1% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Detectives and criminal investigators | $93,790 | +0.2% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Fish and game wardens | $74,060 | -5.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers | $76,210 | +3.5% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers | $33,580 | +5.5% | No formal educational credential |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (9)
- 03.0201 Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General
- 03.0204 Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
- 03.0205 Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
- 03.0206 Land Use Planning and Management/Development
- 03.0207 Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism
- 03.0208 Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- 03.0209 Energy and Environmental Policy
- 03.0210 Bioenergy
- 03.0299 Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other