Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management at Otterbein University

That first-year salary of $19,801 is startlingly low—about $9,000 below the national median for wildlife programs and barely above minimum wage. The 5th percentile national ranking confirms this program significantly underperforms peers nationwide. However, the state percentile data is misleading: Otterbein appears to be the only Ohio school reporting this major, so the 60th percentile ranking simply reflects its position as the sole data point.

The debt burden of $25,850 is actually close to the national median for this field, which means the real concern isn't excessive borrowing—it's insufficient earning power relative to that debt. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.31 means graduates owe more than they earn in their first year, making repayment challenging on an entry-level salary that translates to roughly $10/hour. Wildlife careers typically start modestly, but this falls short even by field standards.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds critical uncertainty—a few outliers could dramatically skew these numbers in either direction. If your child is passionate about wildlife management, understand they may be accepting several years of financial strain after graduation. They should investigate whether this program offers pathways to better-compensated positions (state agencies, research roles) or if graduates are getting stuck in low-wage seasonal work. At these earnings levels, loan repayment will be a serious burden unless salaries improve quickly.