Best Schools for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management

Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduates earn a median of $46,081 within four years of graduating, ranking #255 out of 283 tracked majors — 26% below the median across all fields. There are 42 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 1,636 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Valley City State University graduates earn $69,799 while Michigan Technological University graduates earn $38,775 — a $31,024 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

42
Schools
$46,081
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#255
of 283 Majors
1,636
Graduates

Public vs Private: Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management

Public (36 schools)
$46,546
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (6 schools)
$42,302
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management by State

Also by state: Idaho, Montana

Top Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
Valley City State University logo

Valley City State University

Valley City, ND · Public

$69,799
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
2yr: $38,289 (19)
1yr: $31,083 (20)
Acceptance: 69.3%
#2
Stephen F Austin State University logo

Stephen F Austin State University

Nacogdoches, TX · Public

$56,437
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
2yr: $40,017 (25)
1yr: $39,602 (27)
Acceptance: 88.3%
#3
Auburn University logo

Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

$54,449
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,366 (18)
1yr: $26,293 (29)
Acceptance: 50.5%
#4
South Dakota State University logo

South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD · Public

$50,623
4yr Earnings
54 grads
2yr: $33,423 (73)
1yr: $33,041 (41)
Acceptance: 98.7%
#5
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science logo

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science

Paul Smiths, NY · Private

$50,171
4yr Earnings
61 grads
2yr: $25,774 (11)
1yr: $26,369 (47)
Acceptance: 90.7%
#6
Michigan State University logo

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$49,948
4yr Earnings
77 grads
2yr: $25,194 (77)
1yr: $28,901 (87)
Acceptance: 83.9%
#7
Bemidji State University logo

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN · Public

$49,040
4yr Earnings
39 grads
1yr: $29,521 (21)
Acceptance: 70.7%
#8
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville logo

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN · Public

$48,882
4yr Earnings
42 grads
2yr: $32,213 (31)
1yr: $32,266 (49)
Acceptance: 46.0%
#9
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University logo

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

$47,496
4yr Earnings
54 grads
2yr: $21,850 (51)
1yr: $21,497 (40)
Acceptance: 57.0%
#10
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus logo

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH · Public

$47,370
4yr Earnings
40 grads
2yr: $24,035 (37)
1yr: $24,682 (40)
Acceptance: 86.9%
#11
Northwest Missouri State University logo

Northwest Missouri State University

Maryville, MO · Public

$47,356
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,381 (22)
1yr: $24,340 (19)
Acceptance: 85.9%
#12
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt logo

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

$47,003
4yr Earnings
123 grads
2yr: $21,166 (104)
1yr: $23,995 (128)
Acceptance: 98.8%
#13
University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$46,209
4yr Earnings
67 grads
1yr: $23,267 (78)
Acceptance: 41.6%
#14
University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV · Public

$46,171
4yr Earnings
43 grads
1yr: $27,328 (46)
Acceptance: 85.3%
#15
University of Rhode Island logo

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public

$45,571
4yr Earnings
52 grads
2yr: $23,693 (20)
1yr: $24,424 (49)
Acceptance: 77.1%
#16
University of Maine logo

University of Maine

Orono, ME · Public

$45,502
4yr Earnings
40 grads
2yr: $25,658 (24)
1yr: $31,484 (43)
Acceptance: 95.7%
#17
Mississippi State University logo

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS · Public

$45,445
4yr Earnings
38 grads
2yr: $29,141 (35)
1yr: $27,924 (31)
Acceptance: 76.3%
#18
Tennessee Technological University logo

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, TN · Public

$45,348
4yr Earnings
55 grads
2yr: $32,213 (57)
1yr: $26,665 (57)
Acceptance: 83.2%
#19
West Virginia University logo

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV · Public

$45,348
4yr Earnings
88 grads
2yr: $28,236 (63)
1yr: $29,380 (77)
Acceptance: 86.3%
#20
University of Wisconsin-Madison logo

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

$45,212
4yr Earnings
28 grads · small sample
2yr: $23,456 (26)
1yr: $21,448 (20)
Acceptance: 43.4%
#21
Utah State University logo

Utah State University

Logan, UT · Public

$45,120
4yr Earnings
58 grads
2yr: $29,685 (11)
1yr: $32,995 (40)
Acceptance: 93.6%
#22
Arkansas Tech University logo

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, AR · Public

$44,868
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $29,322 (22)
1yr: $24,047 (25)
Acceptance: 96.3%
#23
University of Georgia logo

University of Georgia

Athens, GA · Public

$44,818
4yr Earnings
32 grads
2yr: $21,280 (59)
1yr: $23,994 (45)
Acceptance: 37.2%
#24
New Mexico State University-Main Campus logo

New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM · Public

$44,272
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $27,890 (39)
1yr: $27,369 (31)
Acceptance: 75.7%
#25
Murray State University logo

Murray State University

Murray, KY · Public

$43,844
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
1yr: $24,130 (25)
Acceptance: 86.2%
#26
The University of Montana logo

The University of Montana

Missoula, MT · Public

$43,286
4yr Earnings
61 grads
2yr: $25,194 (64)
1yr: $21,601 (61)
Acceptance: 95.6%
#27
University of Idaho logo

University of Idaho

Moscow, ID · Public

$43,171
4yr Earnings
32 grads
2yr: $27,343 (25)
1yr: $25,155 (36)
Acceptance: 79.1%
#28
Missouri State University-Springfield logo

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO · Public

$42,618
4yr Earnings
36 grads
1yr: $27,811 (28)
Acceptance: 91.0%
#29
University of Delaware logo

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

$42,567
4yr Earnings
46 grads
2yr: $25,194 (23)
1yr: $22,340 (46)
Acceptance: 65.1%
#30
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point logo

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Stevens Point, WI · Public

$42,330
4yr Earnings
88 grads
2yr: $26,739 (63)
1yr: $26,124 (94)
Acceptance: 90.1%
#31
Otterbein University logo

Otterbein University

Westerville, OH · Private

$41,121
4yr Earnings
32 grads
2yr: $23,456 (13)
1yr: $26,871 (21)
Acceptance: 83.3%
#32
University of Florida logo

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

$40,434
4yr Earnings
54 grads
2yr: $22,846 (53)
1yr: $21,021 (57)
Acceptance: 24.0%
#33
Eastern Kentucky University logo

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, KY · Public

$40,149
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
2yr: $25,658 (22)
1yr: $23,643 (23)
Acceptance: 78.1%
#34
Unity Environmental University logo

Unity Environmental University

New Gloucester, ME · Private

$39,017
4yr Earnings
59 grads
2yr: $24,499 (63)
1yr: $24,558 (54)
Acceptance: 81.8%
#35
Delaware Valley University logo

Delaware Valley University

Doylestown, PA · Private

$38,899
4yr Earnings
59 grads
2yr: $21,417 (55)
1yr: $24,848 (56)
Acceptance: 92.5%
#36
Michigan Technological University logo

Michigan Technological University

Houghton, MI · Public

$38,775
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
2yr: $35,060 (12)
Acceptance: 87.9%
#37
Montana State University logo

Montana State University

Bozeman, MT · Public

$33,993
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.8%
#38
College of the Ozarks logo

College of the Ozarks

Point Lookout, MO · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 14.9%
#39
Tarleton State University logo

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX · Public

$28,598
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 94.2%
#40
Brigham Young University-Idaho logo

Brigham Young University-Idaho

Rexburg, ID · Private

$26,353
2yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
1yr: $24,821 (25)
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 97.0%
#41
Washington State University logo

Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public

$25,658
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 85.4%
#42
University of Alaska Fairbanks logo

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK · Public

$25,194
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management?
Valley City State University ranks #1 for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management with median graduate earnings of $69,799 within four years of graduating. There are 42 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduates earn?
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management graduates earn an average of $46,081 within four years of graduating. This is 26% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $38,775 to $69,799 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management program?
The average acceptance rate across Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management programs is 76.9%. The most selective program is at College of the Ozarks with a 14.9% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management?
Private Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management programs average $42,302 in early earnings vs $46,546 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

Get Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management Career Insights

We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI by school. Be the first to get yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.