by our College Data Analytics Team
[Natural Resource Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a natural resource management degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their natural resource management graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose natural resource management graduates go on to earn the most.
California State University Bakersfield earned the #1 spot for highest-paid natural resource management graduates in California. California State University Bakersfield is a public school located in the city of Bakersfield. Early-career natural resource management graduates from California State University Bakersfield make a median of around $76,104 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earned it the #2 place for natural resource management. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Early-career natural resource management graduates from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo make a median of around $69,368 per year.
Humboldt State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying natural resource management schools. Set in the town of Arcata, Humboldt State University is a public institution. After graduating, natural resource management degree recipients from Humboldt State University typically earn about $47,629 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their natural resource management graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.