2026 Best Natural Resource Management Doctoral Degree Schools
Looking for the best Natural Resource Management doctoral degree programs in the United States? We have ranked 196 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
So you can compare your options, Course Advisor evaluated schools to compile this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Natural Resource Management Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Michigan State University to be the best Natural Resource Management school in the United States. Michigan State University is a public school based in East Lansing, MI. Michigan State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 81%. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $21,755 in student loans. Get the full Michigan State University report
A rank of #2 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the top choices in the United States. Set in Ann Arbor, MI, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. About 93% of students finish within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Typical Natural Resource Management student debt is $19,137. Get the full University Of Michigan Ann Arbor report
The strong Natural Resource Management programs at North Dakota State University Main Campus earned it the #3 place in the United States. Located in Fargo, ND, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. In-state tuition and fees run about $10,910, with out-of-state students paying around $15,564. Typical Natural Resource Management student debt is $27,000. Read more about North Dakota State University Main Campus
A rank of #4 makes University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee one of the top choices in the United States. Located in Milwaukee, WI, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 53%. Students from in state pay about $10,398 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Graduates carry a median of $26,657 in student loans. Read the full report on University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee
The strong Natural Resource Management programs at Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry earned it the #5 place in the United States. Located in Syracuse, NY, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a public institution. Roughly 66% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,303, while out-of-state students pay about $22,263. See the full Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry profile
West Virginia University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. Located in Morgantown, WV, West Virginia University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. In-state tuition and fees average $10,104, compared with $28,608 for out-of-state students. Typical Natural Resource Management student debt is $25,000. Read more about West Virginia University
Colorado State University Fort Collins placed #7 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public school based in Fort Collins, CO. The six-year graduation rate is 66%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $22,843 in student loans. More on Colorado State University Fort Collins
University Of Hawaii At Manoa landed the #8 spot in the United States this year. Based in Honolulu, HI, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a public institution. About 64% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $12,186 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $34,218. Students borrow a median of $19,835 to complete their Natural Resource Management program here. Read the full report on University Of Hawaii At Manoa
University Of Northern Iowa placed #9 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. See the full University Of Northern Iowa profile
Sul Ross State University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Read more about Sul Ross State University
Bay De Noc Community College did well this year, earning the #11 position. Read more about Bay De Noc Community College
Florida Institute Of Technology came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Get the full Florida Institute Of Technology report
Unity College
Unity College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. Read the full report on Unity College
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University placed #14 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. See the full Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University profile
Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill placed #15 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Get the full Suny College Of Agriculture And Technology At Cobleskill report
Santa Fe Community College landed the #16 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Santa Fe Community College
University Of The District Of Columbia came in at #17 in this year's ranking. See the full University Of The District Of Columbia profile
The Evergreen State College placed #18 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Get the full The Evergreen State College report
Juniata College
Juniata College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. Read more about Juniata College
The University Of Tennessee Martin landed the #20 spot in the United States this year. Read more about The University Of Tennessee Martin
Western Michigan University landed the #21 spot in the United States this year. More on Western Michigan University
Texas Tech University did well this year, earning the #22 position. Read the full report on Texas Tech University
Wake Forest University came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Read more about Wake Forest University
Southern Regional Technical College ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. See the full Southern Regional Technical College profile
University Of South Alabama ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. Read more about University Of South Alabama
Rest of the Top 50 Best Natural Resource Management Doctoral Degree Schools in the United States
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s ranking:
Metropolitan State College Of Denver did well this year, earning the #26 position. Read more about Metropolitan State College Of Denver
Missouri Southern State University placed #27 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Get the full Missouri Southern State University report
Davis And Elkins College came in at #28 in this year's ranking. Read more about Davis And Elkins College
Northwestern Oklahoma State University landed the #29 spot in the United States this year. See the full Northwestern Oklahoma State University profile
Hocking College
Hocking College placed #30 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Read more about Hocking College
University Of Washington Seattle Campus placed #31 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Get the full University Of Washington Seattle Campus report
University Of Miami placed #32 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Read the full report on University Of Miami
Great Basin College landed the #33 spot in the United States this year. Get the full Great Basin College report
Seattle Pacific University landed the #34 spot in the United States this year. Read more about Seattle Pacific University
South Dakota State University did well this year, earning the #35 position. Read more about South Dakota State University
Glenville State College did well this year, earning the #36 position. Read the full report on Glenville State College
Loyola University Chicago placed #37 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. More on Loyola University Chicago
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo ranked #38 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. Read the full report on California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Florida Gulf Coast University landed the #39 spot in the United States this year. Read the full report on Florida Gulf Coast University
Arizona State University came in at #40 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Arizona State University
East Carolina University placed #41 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. More on East Carolina University
Harvard University placed #42 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Get the full Harvard University report
Truckee Meadows Community College placed #43 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. More on Truckee Meadows Community College
University Of Maine did well this year, earning the #44 position. More on University Of Maine
Arizona State University Skysong came in at #45 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Arizona State University Skysong
College Of Lake County came in at #46 in this year's ranking. Read more about College Of Lake County
New Mexico State University Main Campus placed #47 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. Read the full report on New Mexico State University Main Campus
Central Carolina Technical College landed the #48 spot in the United States this year. More on Central Carolina Technical College
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College placed #49 among Natural Resource Management schools in the United States. More on Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
Suny College At Cortland ranked #50 on our 2026 list of the best Natural Resource Management schools. See the full Suny College At Cortland profile
Related Natural Resource Management Rankings
Compare rankings at other degree levels:
- Best Natural Resource Management Schools (All Levels)
- Best Natural Resource Management Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Natural Resource Management Undergraduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Natural Resource Management Associate’s Degree Schools
- Best Natural Resource Management Bachelor’s Degree Schools
- Best Natural Resource Management Graduate Certificate Degree Schools
- Best Natural Resource Management Master’s Degree Schools
Ranking Methodology & Notes
The ranking above is published by Course Advisor (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: Nation. *Averages shown above reflect the top 196 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).
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