Natural Resources Conservation and Research at University of Central Arkansas

A first-year salary of $27,118 puts graduates nearly $7,000 behind the national median for this field and trails the state median by $3,000. While the debt load of $20,625 seems manageable in absolute terms, earning barely above minimum wage makes even moderate student loans feel heavy—the 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly nine months of their annual salary. The University of Arkansas, just an hour north, reports graduates earning $6,000 more annually, a significant premium when you're starting in the high $20,000s.

The small sample size here is crucial context—with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, a few outliers could skew the picture considerably. That said, ranking in just the 13th percentile nationally suggests a pattern worth noting. For a parent wondering whether this investment makes sense, the numbers point toward financial strain in those early years. Conservation work often involves starting positions with government agencies or nonprofits that pay modestly, but even accounting for field norms, these graduates are falling behind their peers.

If your child is passionate about conservation specifically at UCA, be prepared for a tight post-graduation budget and consider whether keeping debt below $15,000 is feasible through work-study or summer earnings. Otherwise, exploring the same program at nearby state schools with stronger outcomes would be worth the conversation.