2026 Best Natural Resource Management Schools in the The Plains States Region
Natural Resource Management is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 19 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for natural resource management students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Natural Resource Management in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall natural resource management education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Natural Resource Management
Our analysis ranked Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College the best school in the country for a degree in natural resource management. This mid-sized public university is located in the town of Hibbing. There were roughly 42 natural resource management students who graduated with this degree at Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, natural resource management degree recipients from Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College generally make around $45,589. Students borrow a median of $17,029 to complete this degree.
Read more about the natural resource management program at Hibbing Community College A Technical And Community College
Students looking for a strong natural resource management program will find one at South Dakota State University, which ranked #2. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. Roughly 62% of students complete a degree within six years here. South Dakota State University awarded about 19 natural resource management degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the natural resource management program make about $51,260 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $24,989 to complete this degree.
Get the full natural resource management details for South Dakota State University
A rank of #3 makes Hawkeye Community College one of the top schools for natural resource management. Located in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public university. There were roughly 24 natural resource management students who graduated with this degree at Hawkeye Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, natural resource management degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $41,902. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete this degree.
Read more about the natural resource management program at Hawkeye Community College
North Dakota State University Main Campus came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best natural resource management schools. Set in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. About 25 natural resource management degrees were awarded at North Dakota State University Main Campus in the most recent year. Natural Resource Management graduates of North Dakota State University Main Campus earn a median of $40,971 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
Get the full natural resource management details for North Dakota State University Main Campus
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 19 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
