Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
A program that focuses on the application of economic concepts and methods to the analysis of issues such as air and water pollution, land use planning, waste disposal, invasive species and pest control, conservation policies, and related environmental problems. Includes instruction in cost-benefit analysis, environmental impact assessment, evaluation and assessment of alternative resource management strategies, policy evaluation and monitoring, and descriptive and analytic tools for studying how environmental developments affect the economic system.
- Schools offering
- 11
- Annual completions
- 269
- Typical degree level
- Bachelor's
- Median earnings (5yr)
- $56k
About this major
A program that focuses on the application of economic concepts and methods to the analysis of issues such as air and water pollution, land use planning, waste disposal, invasive species and pest control, conservation policies, and related environmental problems. Includes instruction in cost-benefit analysis, environmental impact assessment, evaluation and assessment of alternative resource management strategies, policy evaluation and monitoring, and descriptive and analytic tools for studying how environmental developments affect the economic system.
Examples of specialized tracks: Environmental Economics and Policy.
Where this major leads
Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.
| Occupation | Median wage | Job growth | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $137k | +4.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Social science research assistants | $58k | +4.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Economists | $115k | +1.2% | Master's degree |
| Economics teachers, postsecondary | $120k | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Earnings at a glance
Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.
Median 5-year earnings
$56k
Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings
Associate's
$47k
Bachelor's
$57k
Top colleges for Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.
| College | Location | Assoc. | Bach. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 0 | 166 | 166 |
| University of Rhode Island | Kingston, RI | 0 | 30 | 30 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL | 0 | 20 | 20 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR | 0 | 18 | 18 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | 0 | 18 | 18 |
| University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | Durham, NH | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville, TN | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State, MS | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Malone University | Canton, OH | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Juniata College | Huntingdon, PA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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