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Wildlife & Wildlands Science

Types of Degrees Wildlife & Wildlands Science Majors Are Earning

Those studying Wildlife & Wildlands Science can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	14
Associate’s Degree	265
Bachelor’s Degree	1,714
Master’s Degree	387
Doctor’s Degree	39

What Wildlife & Wildlands Science Majors Need to Know

Programs in Wildlife & Wildlands Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Wildlife & Wildlands Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Geography — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Wildlife & Wildlands Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Wildlife & Wildlands Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Wildlife & Wildlands Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE	Map creation software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates include:

• Natural Resources Faculty Member
• Forest Management Professor
• Forestry Professor
• Research Professor
• Forestry Instructor
• Forest Resources Professor
• Forest Products Teacher
• Instructor
• Natural Resources Instructor
• Forest Explorers Instructor
• Biometrics Instructor
• Silviculture Professor
• Associate Professor
• Professor
• Conservation Biology Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	36.7%
Doctoral degree	29.6%
Master’s degree	17.4%
Post-doctoral training	10.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.7%
Postsecondary certificate	0.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.4%
Some college courses	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Wildlife & Wildlands Science?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 55.1% women and 44.9% men among Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,332	55.1%
Men	1,087	44.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,838	76.0%
Asian	41	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino	289	11.9%
Black or African American	43	1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	20	0.8%
Two or More Races	103	4.3%
Race Unknown	61	2.5%
International Students	24	1.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Wildlife & Wildlands Science Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$29,560
4 years	$38,597
5 years	$44,355

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,355 — roughly 50% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Wildlife & Wildlands Science Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Wildlife & Wildlands Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	1
Bachelor’s	1	3
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Wildlife & Wildlands Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Wildlife & Wildlands Science graduates earn a median of $38,597 four years after completion — roughly 2% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	03.06
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General	03.0201
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management	03.0506
Forest Sciences and Biology	03.0502
Forestry, General	03.0501
Land Use Planning and Management/Development	03.0206
Natural Resources/Conservation, General	03.0101

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.