Best Natural Resources Conservation Programs in Oregon
Updated
This page ranks the 8 Natural Resources Conservation programs in Oregon by median earnings of Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing, highest first. Portland State University leads the list with median earnings of $58,961 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $58,961 to $26,353, with a median of $52,214. For 1 of the 8 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is evenly split between 4 public and 4 private nonprofit institutions. Portland State University posts the lowest average net price at $9,552, and it also holds the highest admission rate, admitting 91% of applicants.
Oregon State University ranks 126th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $58,961 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
| Portland State University ranks 1st on this list with median earnings of $58,961 for its Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing, and its average net price of $9,552 is the lowest on the page. | |||||
| 2 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $55,805 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
| Oregon State University reports median earnings of $55,805 for its Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing and ranks 126th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 3 | University of Portland · Portland, OR | $54,975 | $28,210 | $20,070 | 89.2% |
| A private nonprofit university in Portland, University of Portland posts median earnings of $54,975 for its Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 89%. | |||||
| 4 | Willamette University · Salem, OR | $54,657 | $25,121 | $16,182 | 77.1% |
| Willamette University admits 77% of applicants, the lowest admission rate on the page, and its Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing earn a median of $54,657. | |||||
| 5 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $49,770 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| University of Oregon graduates a cohort of 108 in Natural Resources Conservation who report median earnings of $49,770 four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $22,182. | |||||
| 6 | Pacific University · Forest Grove, OR | $47,202 | $35,273 | $23,318 | 89.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Pacific University left with a median of $23,223 in federal loans, while its Natural Resources Conservation completers earn a median of $47,202 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Southern Oregon University · Ashland, OR | $44,945 | $16,732 | $11,830 | 88.6% |
| Southern Oregon University reports median federal debt of $20,793 among Natural Resources Conservation completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $44,945. | |||||
| 8 | Lewis & Clark College · Portland, OR | $26,353 | $36,013 | $15,962 | 78.5% |
| Lewis & Clark College ranks 8th on this list, with median earnings of $26,353 for its Natural Resources Conservation graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $36,013. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Environmental Studies graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Oregon appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 1 of the 8 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from Portland State University to the bottom of the list spans $32,608, with a gap of $3,156 between Portland State University and Oregon State University.
Job market context in Oregon
Graduates of Natural Resources Conservation programs in Oregon enter occupations such as Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health, Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health, and Compliance Officers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $83,759, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $65,176. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 7.8% higher, with about 630 openings a year, or about 144 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupation-wide wages reported here.