Natural Resources Conservation and Research: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates earn a median $55,012 four years after finishing — $6,652/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 10.2 years. Federal data pools 706 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 16,674 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Natural Resources Conservation and Research ranks #138 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 32% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston College | MA | $82,861 |
| 2 | Columbia Southern University | AL | $81,292 |
| 3 | University of Southern California | CA | $78,731 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $78,624 |
| 5 | Tufts University | MA | $77,753 |
| 6 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | $77,259 |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $75,927 |
| 8 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | TX | $75,258 |
| 9 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy | MA | $74,393 |
| 10 | Brandeis University | MA | $73,936 |
| 11 | Duke University | NC | $73,435 |
| 12 | Santa Clara University | CA | $72,889 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.