Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Managementat Oregon State University-Cascades Campus

While the earnings figures might seem modest, they reflect a career path driven by passion and public service, not corporate salaries. As an Oregon State graduate, you’re not just getting a degree; you’re plugging into the Pacific Northwest’s vast natural resource economy. Your classrooms are the Deschutes River and the Cascade Lakes, and your future employers are often state and federal agencies like the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or the U.S. Forest Service, which have a major presence in the region. This program prepares you for hands-on work in conservation, hatchery management, and policy—fields where success is measured by the health of an ecosystem. To maximize your value, aggressively pursue internships with these agencies or with local tribal governments, who are key players in regional fishery co-management. Those real-world connections are your most valuable asset.