Natural Resources & Conservation Researchat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $31,944/yr in their first year — about 8.0% below the national Natural Resources & Conservation Research average. Base-case 10-year earnings $764K; scenarios range from $668K to $800K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
While UCLA provides a world-class research foundation, the modest early-career earnings reflect the nature of the conservation field itself. Many graduates pursue passion-driven careers in the public sector or with non-profits—think roles with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, national parks, or environmental advocacy groups. These paths offer immense impact but have structured, slower-growing pay scales compared to corporate jobs. Your UCLA degree opens doors to top-tier graduate programs, which are often a prerequisite for higher-level research and policy-making roles that offer greater financial returns later in your career.
To maximize your opportunities, aggressively pursue internships with private environmental consulting firms or the sustainability departments of major California corporations. This experience will provide a crucial network and a pathway to higher-paying private sector roles if you choose that route.
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 UCLA'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 UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, 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 UCLA
How does University of California-Los Angeles's Natural Resources & Conservation Research program score?
This program scores 45/100 — 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.