by our College Data Analytics Team
[Natural Resource Management](/majors/natural-resources-conservation/natural-resource-management/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a natural resource management degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find where natural resource management graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose natural resource management graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Marist College, our #1 for natural resource management graduate salaries in the Middle Atlantic Region. Set in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Marist College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $75,821.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Maryland College Park one of the highest-paying schools for natural resource management. Set in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a public institution. Students who complete the natural resource management program here go on to a median salary of roughly $88,244.
Strong graduate earnings at Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry earned it the #3 place for natural resource management. Located in the city of Syracuse, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a public institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry make a median of around $54,010 per year.
Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science produces some of the highest-paid graduates in natural resource management, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Paul Smiths, Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Paul Smiths College Of Arts And Science make a median of around $55,219 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Rutgers University New Brunswick earned it the #5 place for natural resource management. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public institution. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick make a median of around $36,040 per year.
Stony Brook University earned the #6 position for natural resource management graduate earnings this year. Stony Brook University is a public school located in the suburb of Stony Brook. Early-career natural resource management graduates from Stony Brook University make a median of around $37,701 per year.
This list is compiled 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 · 6 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.