Best Natural Resources Policy Programs in the South (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Natural Resources Management and Policy Programs by Earnings
This page ranks the 11 Natural Resources Management and Policy programs in the South by median earnings of Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing, highest first. West Virginia University leads the list at $75,022, followed by Everglades University at $61,850 and Texas A&M University-College Station at $54,665.
Across the list, reported earnings range from $75,022 to $19,592, with a median of $48,942. For 3 of the 11 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 9 of the 11 programs, or 82%. Texas A&M University-College Station ranks 25th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page.
The University of Tennessee-Martin posts the lowest average net price at $10,701, while Texas State University and University of Miami bookend the admission range at 89% and 19% respectively.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia University · Morgantown, WV | $75,022 | $15,634 | $9,450 | 89.0% |
| West Virginia University reports $75,022 in median earnings for its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing, with 26 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 2 | Everglades University · Boca Raton, FL | $61,850 | $27,371 | $25,556 | 81.5% |
| Everglades University, a private nonprofit university in Boca Raton, shows a median federal debt of $40,187 among Natural Resources Management and Policy completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station · College Station, TX | $54,665 | $21,315 | $12,784 | 57.4% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station ranks 3rd on this list and posts median earnings of $54,665 for its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · Baton Rouge, LA | $50,173 | $19,151 | $13,056 | 73.3% |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College posts an average net price of $19,151 alongside median earnings of $50,173 for its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC | $49,834 | $13,315 | $8,816 | 81.8% |
| Western Carolina University admits 82% of applicants and reports a median federal debt of $18,500 among Natural Resources Management and Policy completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 6 | Florida Gulf Coast University · Fort Myers, FL | $48,942 | $12,568 | $8,220 | 63.4% |
| Florida Gulf Coast University reports $48,942 in median earnings for its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $12,568. | |||||
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Martin · Martin, TN | $46,540 | $10,701 | $7,151 | 88.2% |
| The University of Tennessee-Martin carries the lowest average net price on the list at $10,701, and its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates earned a median of $46,540 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $40,076 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
| Auburn University shows a school-wide median federal debt of $21,000 across all of its borrowers who completed, and its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates earned a median of $40,076 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $36,848 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
| With an admission rate of 89%, Texas State University is the most open school on the page, and its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates earned a median of $36,848 four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of Miami · Coral Gables, FL | $25,194 | $37,244 | $15,978 | 18.9% |
| University of Miami is the most selective school on the list, admitting 19% of applicants, and reports median earnings of $25,194 for its Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $19,592 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 37.7% |
| An average net price of $13,936 coincides with median earnings of $19,592 for University of Georgia's Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Natural Resources Management and Policy graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 3 of the 11 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 gap between West Virginia University and Everglades University is $13,172, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $55,430.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the South
- Natural Resources Colleges in the South for Social Mobility
- Natural Resources Colleges in the South