Degree to Occupation Map
Occupations related to a natural resources and conservation degree
NCES and BLS publish a crosswalk relating instructional programs to occupations. This page lists every occupation that crosswalk relates to natural resources and conservation, with the BLS typical entry education, 2025 median wage and projected growth for each, and links to the RoleSprint page covering the role where one exists.
What occupations does the official crosswalk relate to a natural resources and conservation degree?
The CIP 2020-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk published by NCES and BLS relates 24 CIP 2020 programs in natural resources and conservation to 27 occupations. That maps a field of study to lines of work; it is not a statement that a natural resources and conservation degree qualifies someone for any of them, and the crosswalk carries no figure for how many graduates enter each. Across the 26 with a published 2025 BLS wage the median is $76,685, ranging from $33,580 for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers to $141,900 for Regulatory Affairs Managers. BLS typical entry-level education splits 2 at no formal educational credential, 6 at high school diploma or equivalent, 2 at postsecondary nondegree award, 2 at associate's degree, 10 at bachelor's degree, 1 at master's degree, 4 at doctoral or professional degree: 22 at or below a bachelor's degree and 5 above it. Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists is projected to grow fastest at +13.1% over 2025-35. The highest-paid are Regulatory Affairs Managers ($141,900), Economists ($124,720) and Economics Teachers, Postsecondary ($123,920).
- Related occupations
- 27, from 24 CIP 2020 programs in natural resources and conservation (a further 1 related occupation has no BLS or O*NET row on this site and are not listed)
- What the mapping means
- NCES states only that it "crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes". It relates a program to an occupation. It does not establish qualification, hiring, or how many graduates take that path.
- BLS typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential: 2; High school diploma or equivalent: 6; Postsecondary nondegree award: 2; Associate's degree: 2; Bachelor's degree: 10; Master's degree: 1; Doctoral or professional degree: 4
- Median wage across these occupations
- $76,685 (2025); 26 of 27 have a published BLS wage
- Next step
- 9 of the 27 occupations have a dedicated RoleSprint page covering what the role requires and how the work is performed.
Source and method
2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics, and BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Verified 2026-09-06. Program-to-occupation relationships are reproduced from the NCES/BLS crosswalk exactly as published; RoleSprint groups CIP programs into the field of study a person would search for and lists the union of their related occupations, showing every member CIP code. Wage, typical entry education and outlook are reproduced from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 for the matching SOC code. Working-condition figures are O*NET 30.3 means. No relationship strength, employment share or qualification judgement is published, because no source supplies one.
What this list is, and what it is not
The crosswalk's own description of itself is one sentence: “This file crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes in ascending order by CIP Code.” It relates a field of study to lines of work.
It does not say a natural resources and conservation degree qualifies anyone for these occupations, that graduates usually enter them, or what share do: the crosswalk publishes no such figure. The wage and education columns come from a separate source, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2, and describe the occupation rather than the degree. Typical entry education is what BLS observes most often among people already doing the work; it is not a rule about who may be hired.
The 27 related occupations
Ordered by BLS median wage, highest first. 26 of 27 have a published wage.
| Occupation | BLS typical entry-level education | Median wage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
Regulatory Affairs Managers SOC 11-9199 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 4.6 · Outdoors, all weather 1.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $141,900 2025 median | +4.9% 2025-35 · 100.9 openings/yr |
Economists SOC 19-3011 Contact with others 3.5 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 4.7 · Outdoors, all weather 1.1 of 5 | Master's degree Above bachelor's | $124,720 2025 median | +4.7% 2025-35 · 1.1 openings/yr |
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1063 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 3.4 · Sitting 4.3 · Outdoors, all weather 1.1 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $123,920 2025 median | +2.4% 2025-35 · 1 openings/yr |
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives SOC 33-1012 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.3 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $106,040 2025 median | +3.3% 2025-35 · 10.6 openings/yr |
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1043 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 3.2 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $101,420 2025 median | +2.8% 2025-35 · 0.1 openings/yr |
Transportation Planners SOC 19-3099 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 3.1 · Sitting 4.5 · Outdoors, all weather 1.9 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $101,110 2025 median | -0.2% 2025-35 · 2.7 openings/yr |
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1053 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 3.6 · Outdoors, all weather 2.1 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $94,980 2025 median | +2.7% 2025-35 · 0.6 openings/yr |
Detectives and Criminal Investigators SOC 33-3021 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.1 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $93,790 2025 median | +0.2% 2025-35 · 7.8 openings/yr |
First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers SOC 33-1021 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 2.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.5 of 5 | Postsecondary nondegree award At or below bachelor's | $93,530 2025 median | +3.7% 2025-35 · 6.6 openings/yr |
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health SOC 19-2041 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 4.4 · Outdoors, all weather 2.5 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $82,220 2025 median | +6.1% 2025-35 · 7.3 openings/yr |
Compliance Officers SOC 13-1041 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 3.8 · Outdoors, all weather 3.5 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $80,730 2025 median | +3.8% 2025-35 · 32.7 openings/yr |
Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling SOC 11-9072 Contact with others 4.6 · Time pressure 3.4 · Sitting 3.4 · Outdoors, all weather 3.1 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $79,520 2025 median | +6% 2025-35 · 5.1 openings/yr |
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists SOC 19-1023 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.3 · Sitting 3.6 · Outdoors, all weather 3.4 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $76,780 2025 median | +3.6% 2025-35 · 1.4 openings/yr |
Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1111 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.7 · Sitting 3.3 · Outdoors, all weather 1.5 of 5 | Doctoral or professional degree Above bachelor's | $76,590 2025 median | +1.5% 2025-35 · 1.1 openings/yr |
Foresters SOC 19-1032 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.1 · Sitting 3.0 · Outdoors, all weather 4.0 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $76,400 2025 median | +2.2% 2025-35 · 0.9 openings/yr |
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 4.0 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.6 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $76,210 2025 median | +3.5% 2025-35 · 51.5 openings/yr |
Fish and Game Wardens SOC 33-3031 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 3.2 · Outdoors, all weather 4.9 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $74,060 2025 median | -5.7% 2025-35 · 0.5 openings/yr |
Conservation Scientists SOC 19-1031 Contact with others 3.9 · Time pressure 3.3 · Sitting 3.2 · Outdoors, all weather 3.9 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $73,010 2025 median | +5.3% 2025-35 · 2.1 openings/yr |
Social Science Research Assistants SOC 19-4061 Contact with others 3.7 · Time pressure 2.9 · Sitting 4.7 · Outdoors, all weather 1.2 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $61,990 2025 median | +5% 2025-35 · 4.9 openings/yr |
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers SOC 45-1011 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 2.7 · Outdoors, all weather 4.5 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $59,320 2025 median | +3.8% 2025-35 · 7.2 openings/yr |
Firefighters SOC 33-2011 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 2.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.5 of 5 | Postsecondary nondegree award At or below bachelor's | $59,280 2025 median | +3.7% 2025-35 · 26.8 openings/yr |
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists SOC 33-2022 Contact with others 4.8 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 2.7 · Outdoors, all weather 4.6 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $56,870 2025 median | +13.1% 2025-35 · 0.4 openings/yr |
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health SOC 19-4042 Contact with others 3.9 · Time pressure 4.3 · Sitting 3.2 · Outdoors, all weather 3.6 of 5 | Associate's degree At or below bachelor's | $55,090 2025 median | +6.9% 2025-35 · 5.3 openings/yr |
Forest and Conservation Technicians SOC 19-4071 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 2.6 · Outdoors, all weather 4.4 of 5 | Associate's degree At or below bachelor's | $54,560 2025 median | -2.1% 2025-35 · 3.8 openings/yr |
Forest and Conservation Workers SOC 45-4011 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.0 · Sitting 2.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.7 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $43,680 2025 median | -1.5% 2025-35 · 2.2 openings/yr |
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers SOC 33-9092 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.0 · Sitting 3.2 · Outdoors, all weather 3.7 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $33,580 2025 median | +5.5% 2025-35 · 45.4 openings/yr |
Fishing and Hunting Workers SOC 45-3031 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 3.0 · Sitting 2.2 · Outdoors, all weather 4.9 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | Not published | -4.2% 2025-35 · 3.3 openings/yr |
The crosswalk relates 1 further occupation to this field (99-9999) for which BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 publishes no line item on this site. They are counted here rather than listed, because there would be nothing to show beside the name.
BLS typical entry-level education for these occupations
22 of the 27 have a BLS typical entry-level education at or below a bachelor's degree; 5 are above it. "Typical" is BLS's word: it describes the workers already in the occupation.
- No formal educational credential
- 2
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 6
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- 2
- Associate's degree
- 2
- Bachelor's degree
- 10
- Master's degree
- 1
- Doctoral or professional degree
- 4
This is BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2's description of the education most workers in each occupation typically hold when they enter it. It is not a list of requirements, and it says nothing about licences, certifications or experience, which BLS records separately and this page does not show.
Which programs this covers
“Natural resources and conservation” groups 24 CIP 2020 instructional programs. The occupation list above is the union of everything the crosswalk relates to them.
- 03.0101 Natural Resources/Conservation, General
- 03.0103 Environmental Studies
- 03.0104 Environmental Science
- 03.0199 Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other
- 03.0201 Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General
- 03.0204 Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
- 03.0205 Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
- 03.0206 Land Use Planning and Management/Development
- 03.0207 Environmental/Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism
- 03.0208 Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- 03.0209 Energy and Environmental Policy
- 03.0210 Bioenergy
- 03.0299 Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other
- 03.0301 Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
- 03.0501 Forestry, General
- 03.0502 Forest Sciences and Biology
- 03.0506 Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
- 03.0508 Urban Forestry
- 03.0509 Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician
- 03.0510 Forest Resources Production and Management
- 03.0511 Forest Technology/Technician
- 03.0599 Forestry, Other
- 03.0601 Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management
- 03.9999 Natural Resources and Conservation, Other
Grouping is RoleSprint's, and it is printed here so it can be checked. CIP's own grain is finer than the phrase anyone searches; the alternative is one page per code, which would put near-identical lists in front of the same question. How this map is built.
Working out which of these is realistic
A related occupation is a starting point, not a verdict. Three different questions decide whether one is worth pursuing, and each has its own page.
Program-to-occupation relationships from the 2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage, typical entry education and outlook from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Working-condition figures from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA and RoleSprint has modified some of this information.
What to do next
A crosswalk relates a field of study to lines of work. Whether one specific opening is worth your time depends on what you can actually show, which is a different question and the one RoleSprint answers.