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2025 Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools

242 Colleges in the United States
22,926 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,227 Avg Early-Career Salary
A degree in natural resources conservation is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #49 out of 395 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 242 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of natural resources conservation. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 22,926 degrees in natural resources conservation annually.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Natural Resources Conservation School

Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools The conservation program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Natural Resources Conservation rankings. We derive our Best Overall Natural Resources Conservation School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Natural Resources Conservation Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Conservation
Bachelor's Degrees in Conservation
Master's Degrees in Conservation
Doctor's Degrees in Conservation

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools list to help you make the college decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Natural Resources Conservation in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the conservation degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Conservation

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
544 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$48,948 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in natural resources conservation needs to take a look at University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were about 544 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the natural resources conservation major at University of California - Berkeley get $10,720 above the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of California - Berkeley

2
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
155 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$60,902 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Duke University if you wish to pursue a degree in natural resources conservation. Located in the large city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 155 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year. Natural Resources Conservation degree recipients from Duke University receive an earnings boost of about $22,675 above the average earnings of natural resources conservation majors.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Duke University

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
305 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$36,266 Median Starting Salary

It is difficult to beat Texas A&M University - College Station if you want to pursue a degree in natural resources conservation. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #42 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Texas A&M College Station is a great university overall.

There were roughly 305 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the conservation program make around $36,266 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Texas A&M University - College Station

4
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
253 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,954 Median Starting Salary

University of California - Davis is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in natural resources conservation. Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 253 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the conservation program earn about $38,954 for their early career.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of California - Davis

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
231 Conservation Degrees Awarded
7.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #44 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UW Seattle is a great university overall.

There were approximately 231 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program state that they receive average early career earnings of $35,991.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
437 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$29,238 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #40 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.

There were approximately 437 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the conservation program earn around $29,238 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Wisconsin - Madison

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
150 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$31,654 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Amherst, UMass Amherst is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were about 150 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UMass Amherst in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program report average early career income of $31,654.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Massachusetts Amherst

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
345 Conservation Degrees Awarded
10.1% Growth in Graduates

U-M is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were about 345 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year. Those natural resources conservation students who get their degree from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor receive $7,463 more than the average conservation graduate.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
202 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$35,855 Median Starting Salary

NC State is a very large public university located in the large city of Raleigh. This university ranks 4th out of 93 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 202 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at NC State in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program report average early career earnings of $35,855.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from North Carolina State University

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
110 Conservation Degrees Awarded
2.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were about 110 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program state that they receive average early career earnings of $31,944.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of California - Los Angeles

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
175 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$36,347 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were roughly 175 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the conservation program earn about $36,347 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
219 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$30,899 Median Starting Salary

WWU is a large public university located in the small city of Bellingham. This university ranks 5th out of 50 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were roughly 219 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at WWU in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program state that they receive average early career earnings of $30,899.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Western Washington University

13
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
13th Most Popular In CA
88 Conservation Degrees Awarded

USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 88 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Southern California

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
406 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,353 Median Starting Salary

Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 406 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the conservation program earn around $38,353 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of California - Santa Barbara

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
158 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$29,152 Median Starting Salary

UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the city of Santa Cruz. This university ranks 13th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 158 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent data year. After graduating, conservation degree recipients typically earn an average of $29,152 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of California - Santa Cruz

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
117 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$41,790 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #35 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were about 117 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the natural resources conservation major at University of Virginia - Main Campus make $3,563 above the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Virginia - Main Campus

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
106 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$41,621 Median Starting Salary

Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.

There were roughly 106 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent data year. Natural Resources Conservation degree recipients from Cornell University earn a boost of about $3,394 above the typical earnings of natural resources conservation majors.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Cornell University

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$37,890 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 37 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were about 84 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, conservation degree recipients usually earn an average of $37,890 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Iowa State University

19
UVM crest
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
244 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$26,871 Median Starting Salary

UVM is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Burlington. This university ranks 4th out of 9 colleges for overall quality in the state of Vermont.

There were about 244 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UVM in the most recent data year. After graduating, conservation degree recipients usually earn an average of $26,871 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Vermont

20
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$38,908 Median Starting Salary

UD is a fairly large public university located in the large suburb of Newark. This university ranks 1st out of 3 colleges for overall quality in the state of Delaware.

There were about 59 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UD in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program report average early career wages of $38,908.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Delaware

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
87 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$26,899 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Storrs, UCONN is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 18 schools for overall quality in the state of Connecticut.

There were approximately 87 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UCONN in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program state that they receive average early career income of $26,899.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of Connecticut

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
95 Conservation Degrees Awarded
3.2% Growth in Graduates

Northeastern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Boston. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Northeastern is a great university overall.

There were approximately 95 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern in the most recent year we have data available. Natural Resources Conservation degree recipients from Northeastern University receive an earnings boost of around $12,910 over the typical income of natural resources conservation majors.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Northeastern University

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
71 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$37,528 Median Starting Salary

UNH is a fairly large public university located in the town of Durham. This university ranks 2nd out of 17 colleges for overall quality in the state of New Hampshire.

There were approximately 71 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNH in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, conservation degree recipients usually earn an average of $37,528 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of New Hampshire - Main Campus

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
213 Conservation Degrees Awarded
25.8% Growth in Graduates

Ohio State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Columbus. This university ranks 1st out of 91 colleges for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were approximately 213 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, conservation degree recipients typically make an average of $39,545 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from Ohio State University - Main Campus

25
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
148 Conservation Degrees Awarded
$34,567 Median Starting Salary

UNC Chapel Hill is a fairly large public university located in the city of Chapel Hill. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UNC Chapel Hill is a great university overall.

There were about 148 natural resources conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the conservation program report average early career income of $34,567.

More information about a degree in natural resources conservation from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Rest of the Top Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools

26
27
28
The American University crest
American University
Washington, DC
29
30
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
31
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
32
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA

33

34
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
35
36
37
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA
38
39
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
40
41
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, ME

42
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA

43
44
45
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT
46
47
48

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Natural Resources Conservation students that almost earned our Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools award.

Rank College Location
49 Baylor University Waco, TX
50 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
51 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
52 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO
53 Kansas State University Manhattan, KS
54 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
55 Columbia Southern University Orange Beach, AL
56 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
57 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
58 Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN
59 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA
60 Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA
61 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE
62 Fordham University Bronx, NY
63 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
64 University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA
65 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
66 Auburn University Auburn, AL
67 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
68 Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO
69 University of Denver Denver, CO
70 Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA
71 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
72 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR
73 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
74 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
75 Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MA
76 Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL
77 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
78 University of Redlands Redlands, CA
79 Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY
80 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA

Natural Resources Conservation by Region

View the Best Natural Resources Conservation Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

One of 5 majors within the Natural Resources & Conservation area of study, Natural Resources Conservation has other similar majors worth exploring.

Conservation Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Environmental Studies 10,196
Environmental Science 9,482
Natural Resources/Conservation, General 2,981
Natural Resources Conservation & Research, Other 267

View All Conservation Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Natural Resource Management 3,039
Wildlife Management 2,446
Forestry 2,247
Fisheries Sciences 506
Natural Resources Conservation (Other) 152

View All Conservation Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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