Home Schools Boston College Natural Resources & Conservation Research
Natural Resources · Natural Resources & Conservation Research Rank #106 of 256

Natural Resources & Conservation Researchat Boston College

Graduates earn $49,111/yr in their first year — about 42.0% above the national Natural Resources & Conservation Research average. Base-case 10-year earnings $523K; scenarios range from $486K to $527K depending on AI disruption.

Chestnut Hill, MA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
36 AT RISK
37
Optimistic
31
Pessimistic
Earnings
$49,111
1-year post-graduation
ROI
0.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$523K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
49% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Boston College

While the career paths listed might seem grounded in fieldwork, a Natural Resources degree from Boston College often leads to a different reality. Your strong earnings potential isn't coming from managing forests in the Berkshires; it's driven by BC’s powerful reputation and its prime location in a major economic hub. You'll be competing for roles in environmental consulting, corporate sustainability, and policy analysis within Boston’s thriving biotech and finance sectors. Companies like Deloitte, ERM, and state environmental agencies recruit heavily for analytical minds who can navigate complex regulations and data. The program's emphasis on research prepares you for these desk-based, data-driven roles. To maximize this degree, focus on building your network within the Boston consulting world and seek internships that emphasize policy analysis or corporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$486K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score31/100
Earnings Multiple1.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$523K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score36/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$527K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple1.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Boston College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Natural Resources & Conservation Research graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$100,830/yr
Moderate
2
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
+2.9% 10-yr growth · 700 openings/yr
$87,710/yr
High
3
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$80,060/yr
High
4
Compliance officers
+3.0% 10-yr growth · 33,300 openings/yr
$78,420/yr
High
5
Foresters
+1.2% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$70,660/yr
Moderate
6
Conservation scientists
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 2,500 openings/yr
$67,950/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Natural Resources & Conservation Research

How Boston College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Columbia Southern University
AL · Private for-profit
67
DW Score
$75K
1-yr earn
31.1x
ROI
Same state (MA)
Bentley University
MA · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$69K
1-yr earn
1.9x
ROI
Villanova University
PA · Private nonprofit
39
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
1.2x
ROI
University of Maryland Global Campus
MD · Public
65
DW Score
$56K
1-yr earn
25.9x
ROI
George Washington University
DC · Private nonprofit
36
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Also at Boston College

Other top programs at Boston College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Boston College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Natural Resources & Conservation Research offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Natural Resources & Conservation Research trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Natural Resources & Conservation Research at Boston College

How does Boston College's Natural Resources & Conservation Research program score?

This program scores 36/100 — on the lower end for Natural Resources & Conservation Research. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Natural Resources & Conservation Research to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Natural Resources & Conservation Research careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.