Natural Resources & Conservation Researchat Colby College
Graduates earn $28,216/yr in their first year — about 18.0% below the national Natural Resources & Conservation Research average. Base-case 10-year earnings $562K; scenarios range from $515K to $571K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Colby College
While Colby offers an elite academic experience, the initial earnings data reflects the nature of the conservation field itself. This isn't a direct pipeline to a high-paying corporate job; it's a launchpad for careers driven by passion, often in the non-profit or government sectors. Many graduates pursue further education, entering master's or PhD programs to become the researchers and postsecondary teachers you see listed, which temporarily suppresses their early earning power. Others take on essential but modestly paid fieldwork or advocacy roles to build experience.
The value of your Colby degree here is less about immediate income and more about the power of its network to land you in influential organizations or top-tier graduate schools. To maximize your return, aggressively use Colby's career center and alumni network to secure prestigious internships that set you apart for those competitive graduate programs or federal jobs.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Colby College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Natural Resources & Conservation Research
How Colby College stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Colby College
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colby 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 →Frequently asked about Natural Resources & Conservation Research at Colby College
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Natural Resources & Conservation Research at Colby College?
A score of 16/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Natural Resources & Conservation Research. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Natural Resources & Conservation Research careers?
With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $514,572 in decade earnings vs $570,625 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Natural Resources & Conservation Research from Colby College?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
Is Colby College a hidden gem for Natural Resources & Conservation Research?
After financial aid, the average student pays $95,756 over four years — 64% below the $266,400 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.