Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 9 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management pays
Career outlook for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates
The job market for the occupations Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers | 65,400 | +2.5% | $59,330 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Fishing and hunting workers | 21,900 | -4.6% | — | No formal educational credential |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management vs similar majors
How Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management stacks up against the closest fields in Natural Resources & Conservation on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management Natural Resources & Conservation · this major | Forestry | Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | Natural Resources Conservation and Research | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 24 F | 50 C | 44 D | 41 D |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Break-even |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $47,738 | $60,834 | $60,061 | $58,196 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $33,112 | $44,838 | $42,493 | $37,220 |
| ROI vs cost | -66% | +100% | +85% | +64% |
| Typical debt | $23,149 | $19,678 | $26,146 | $22,962 |
| Colleges offering it | 9 | 36 | 44 | 270 |
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Idaho Moscow, ID | Associate's | $56,857 | — | +300% | Strong return |
| 2 | Lake Superior State University Sault Ste Marie, MI | Associate's | $51,390 | $22,500 | +89% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI | Associate's | $51,294 | $19,534 | +74% | Strong return |
| 4 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR | Associate's | $49,281 | $26,639 | -7% | Poor return |
| 5 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | Associate's | $49,281 | $26,639 | -13% | Poor return |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA | Associate's | $46,874 | — | -29% | Poor return |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX | Associate's | $47,640 | $24,114 | -49% | Poor return |
| 8 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | Associate's | $40,186 | $19,370 | -233% | Poor return |
| 9 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Associate's | $36,835 | $23,250 | -294% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.