Natural Resources Conservation and Research at Kansas State University

Kansas State's natural resources conservation program outperforms most schools nationally—placing in the 95th percentile—with first-year earnings of $44,486 compared to the national median of just $33,988. That's a $10,000+ premium over the typical graduate in this field. However, within Kansas, where there are only five programs, K-State lands at the 60th percentile, suggesting the state overall does well in this field rather than K-State being an outlier. The debt load of $23,322 is essentially average for the program nationally, yielding a manageable 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio.

The major caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. What you're seeing might reflect a particularly strong cohort or favorable hiring conditions rather than consistent outcomes. That said, the underlying fundamentals make sense: Kansas State has strong agricultural and environmental science programs in a state where natural resource management careers are relevant and available.

For a field that often struggles with low starting salaries, these earnings are genuinely impressive. If your child is passionate about conservation work and comfortable with the small program size, the financial picture looks solid—just recognize you're making this decision with limited data points.