Natural Resources Management and Policy

Types of Degrees Natural Resources Management and Policy Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many environmental/natural resources management and policy graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	680
Graduate Certificate	164
Doctor’s Degree	12

What Natural Resources Management and Policy Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, natural resources management and policy majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Natural Resources Management and Policy Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Natural Resources Management and Policy Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to natural resources management and policy:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Natural Resources Management and Policy Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a natural resources management and policy student include the following:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Natural Resources Management and Policy Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with natural resources management and policy:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Foresters	4.9%	$61,410
Forestry & Conservation Science Professors	4.5%	$86,900
Park Naturalists	6.3%	$61,310
Range Managers	6.3%	$61,310
Soil and Water Conservationists	6.3%	$61,310

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources Management and Policy?

The major attracts more women than men. About 59% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of natural resources management and policy majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	18
Black or African American	20
Hispanic or Latino	58
White	477
International Students	40
Other Races/Ethnicities	67

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Natural Resources Management and Policy. About 5.9% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Natural Resources Management and Policy

Some degrees associated with natural resources management and policy may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for natural resources management and policy careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	2.3%
Some College Courses	4.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	4.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	53.9%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.7%
Master’s Degree	4.5%
Doctoral Degree	20.8%
Post-Doctoral Training	9.7%

Online Natural Resources Management and Policy Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	2	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	13	2
Bachelor’s Degree	14	5
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	31	6
Post-Master’s	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	7	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Natural Resources Management and Policy

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to natural resources management and policy.

Major	Number of Grads
Water, Wetlands, & Marine Resources Management	365
Environmental/Natural Resources Management & Policy, Other	345
Environmental/Natural Resource Economics	214
Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services	193
Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism	185
Land Use Planning & Management/Development	85
Energy and Environmental Policy	81

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Brian M. Powell under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.