Compare 10 Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management. programs ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $45,063. Top programs: $56,857+.
With top graduates earning $57K, Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $11K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige. Across 10 ranked programs, outcomes track program quality, not school reputation.
Topping the list, the University of Idaho's Fisheries program delivers $57K in median earnings against a field average of $45K—while charging just $11,270 in net price. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point ranks second at $52K, and Cal Poly Humboldt third at $51K. Both are regional publics outperforming better-known institutions on the metric that actually matters: what graduates earn.
For students borrowing on their own, Cal Poly Humboldt leads on affordability: $18,000 in student debt produces just an 8.8% payment burden, a 'Good' GPS rating meaning loan payments stay manageable against post-grad income. When parent loans enter the picture, UW-Stevens Point takes the edge—a 17.3% family burden that lands in the 'Manageable' tier, the best family-debt outcome among programs with complete data. [Learn how to evaluate programs beyond school prestige →](https://collegeazimuth.com/blog/how-to-evaluate-programs)
Highest program earnings: $56,857
Strong outcomes ($52,424) with 92% acceptance
8.8% payment burden | Good (8–12% of discretionary)
17.3% family burden | Manageable (12–18% of discretionary)
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University Of IdahoPublic | $56,857 | 12 | — | — | — | — |
| #2 | $52,424 | 43 | $21,503 | Good | $14,012 | Manageable | |
| #3 | $50,525 | 18 | $18,000 | Good | $18,257 | Challenging | |
| #4 | $48,348 | 6 | $22,250 | Good | $28,000 | High | |
| #5 | Oregon State UniversityPublic | $48,077 | 104 | $21,221 | Good | $28,923 | High |
| #6 | $47,918 | 18 | $17,804 | Good | $32,258 | High | |
| #7 | $44,090 | 26 | $23,250 | Manageable | $23,414 | High | |
| #8 | $40,053 | 53 | $19,500 | Manageable | $29,448 | High | |
| #9 | $34,321 | 6 | — | — | — | — | |
| #10 | $28,019 | 19 | — | — | — | — |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
