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2024 Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Plains States Region

28 Colleges in the Plains States Region
1,825 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$33,325 Avg Early-Career Salary
Natural Resources & Conservation degree programs are on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of popularity. In fact, the major ranks #25 out of the 38 majors we look at each year. While this may limit the number of schools that offer the degree program, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual looked at 28 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,825 degrees in natural resources & conservation to qualified students.

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

Choosing a Great Natural Resources & Conservation School

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Plains States Region Your choice of natural resources & conservation school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Natural Resources & Conservation School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

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

Natural Resources & Conservation Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Master's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation
Doctor's Degrees in Natural Resources & Conservation

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Natural Resources & Conservation Schools in the Plains States Region list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Natural Resources & Conservation in the Plains States Region

The schools below may not offer all types of natural resources & conservation degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.

10 Top Plains States Region Schools in Natural Resources & Conservation

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
222 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$35,869 Median Starting Salary

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #51 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UMN Twin Cities is a great university overall.

There were about 222 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities earn a boost of about $2,544 over the typical income of natural resources & conservation majors.

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

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
124 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$33,812 Median Starting Salary

Iowa State University is a great decision for students interested in a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the small city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #75 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa State is a great university overall.

There were about 124 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically earn around $33,812 in their early careers.

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

3
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, MO
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
$71,774 Median Starting Salary

Webster University is a wonderful option for students pursuing a degree in natural resources & conservation. Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, Webster is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #219 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Webster is a great university overall.

There were roughly 29 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Webster in the most recent year we have data available. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from Webster University receive an earnings boost of about $38,449 over the typical earnings of natural resources & conservation graduates.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from Webster University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
75 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
1.3% Growth in Graduates

Any student who is interested in natural resources & conservation has to check out South Dakota State University. South Dakota State is a large public university located in the remote town of Brookings. A Best Colleges rank of #267 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means South Dakota State is a great university overall.

There were roughly 75 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at South Dakota State in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program report average early career income of $33,041.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from South Dakota State University

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
131 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$29,641 Median Starting Salary

UNL is a fairly large public university located in the city of Lincoln. A Best Colleges rank of #138 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UNL is a great university overall.

There were roughly 131 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at UNL in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the natural resources & conservation program make around $29,641 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Nebraska - Lincoln

6
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
70 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
8.6% Growth in Graduates

Iowa is a very large public university located in the small city of Iowa City. A Best Colleges rank of #84 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa is a great university overall.

There were approximately 70 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, natural resources & conservation degree recipients typically make around $24,266 in the first five years of their career.

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

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
95 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
21.1% Growth in Graduates

Mizzou is a very large public university located in the city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #124 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Mizzou is a great university overall.

There were about 95 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at Mizzou in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the natural resources & conservation program state that they receive average early career earnings of $33,664.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from University of Missouri - Columbia

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
60 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
6.7% Growth in Graduates

K -State is a fairly large public university located in the city of Manhattan. A Best Colleges rank of #225 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means K -State is a great university overall.

There were about 60 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at K -State in the most recent year we have data available. Those natural resources & conservation students who get their degree from Kansas State University receive $3,179 more than the typical natural resources & conservation grad.

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

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
36 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$41,726 Median Starting Salary

North Dakota State University is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Fargo. A Best Colleges rank of #242 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means North Dakota State University is a great university overall.

There were about 36 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at North Dakota State University in the most recent year we have data available. Natural Resources & Conservation degree recipients from North Dakota State University - Main Campus earn a boost of about $8,401 over the typical income of natural resources & conservation graduates.

More information about a degree in natural resources & conservation from North Dakota State University - Main Campus

10
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
55 Natural Resources & Conservation Degrees Awarded
$31,583 Median Starting Salary

KU is a very large public university located in the city of Lawrence. A Best Colleges rank of #141 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means KU is a great university overall.

There were about 55 natural resources & conservation students who graduated with this degree at KU in the most recent data year. After graduating, natural resources & conservation degree recipients usually make around $31,583 in their early careers.

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

Best Natural Resources & Conservation Colleges by State

Explore the best natural resources & conservation colleges for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Kansas38140
Minnesota38626
Iowa38354
South Dakota3883
Missouri38252
Nebraska36196
North Dakota3566

View All Rankings >

Natural Resources & Conservation Majors to Study

MajorAnnual Graduates
Natural Resources Conservation1,369
Wildlife Management194
Natural Resource Management134
Forestry101
Natural Resources Conservation (Other)22
Fisheries Sciences5

View All Natural Resources & Conservation Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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