# Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management

> A program that prepares individuals to conserve and manage wilderness areas and the flora, marine and aquatic life therein, and manage wildlife reservations and zoological/aquarium facilities for recreational, commercial, and ecological purposes. Includes instruction in wildlife biology, marine/aquatic biology, environmental science, freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, natural resources management and policy, outdoor recreation and parks management, the design and operation of natural and artificial wildlife habitats, applicable law and regulations, and related administrative and communications skills.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/wildlife-and-wildlands-science-and-management
- CIP code: 03.06 (Natural Resources and Conservation)
- Colleges offering it: 59 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 15 | $33,817 | $44,820 | $21,329 |
| Associate's | 26 | $29,341 | $37,139 | $11,000 |
| Bachelor's | 59 | $34,955 | $45,348 | $20,000 |
| Master's | 24 | $54,056 | not reported | $27,033 |
| Doctoral | 16 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 4 | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [Valley City State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/valley-city-state-university-3107) | Valley City, ND | $69,799 | $15,281 |
| [Auburn University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/auburn-university-141) | Auburn, AL | $54,449 | $25,000 |
| [South Dakota State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/south-dakota-state-university-2445) | Brookings, SD | $50,623 | $20,500 |
| [Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science](https://www.collegesref.com/college/paul-smiths-college-of-arts-and-science-2087) | Paul Smiths, NY | $50,171 | $24,188 |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | East Lansing, MI | $49,948 | $20,820 |
| [Bemidji State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bemidji-state-university-213) | Bemidji, MN | $49,040 | $19,500 |
| [The University of Tennessee-Knoxville](https://www.collegesref.com/college/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville-main-campus-2761) | Knoxville, TN | $48,882 | $24,458 |
| [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-3134) | Blacksburg, VA | $47,496 | $18,125 |
| [University of New Hampshire](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-new-hampshire-main-campus-2980) | Durham, NH | $47,370 | $27,000 |
| [Northwest Missouri State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwest-missouri-state-university-1951) | Maryville, MO | $47,356 | $17,500 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/forestry-and-conservation-science-teachers-postsecondary): $101,420 median pay
- [Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/zoologists-and-wildlife-biologists): $76,780 median pay
- [Conservation Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/conservation-scientists): $73,010 median pay
- [Park Naturalists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/park-naturalists): $73,010 median pay
- [Range Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/range-managers): $73,010 median pay

## More in Natural Resources and Conservation

- [Natural Resources Conservation and Research](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/natural-resources-conservation-and-research): 797 colleges
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/environmental-natural-resources-management-and-policy): 92 colleges
- [Forestry](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/forestry): 74 colleges
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management: 19 colleges
- Natural Resources and Conservation, Other: 14 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/