Natural Resources Conservation and Research at Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
44
Optimistic
41
Base Case
36
Pessimistic
Earnings
$32,118/yr (-7% vs median)
AI Risk
High (48% exposed)
Job Market
Large (55,700 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $501K | $347K | $237K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 8.6x | 5.9x | 4.1x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.0x | 4.2x | 2.9x |
| Viable Career Paths | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 | 8 of 8 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 44 | 41 | 36 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$58,512
Out-of-state: $83,280
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,587
8.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$46,296
44% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 55,700 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary | $100,830 | 100 | +4.0% | 48% |
| Environmental science teachers, postsecondary | $87,710 | 700 | +2.9% | 52% |
| Environmental scientists and specialists, including health | $80,060 | 8,500 | +4.4% | 53% |
| Compliance officers | $78,420 | 33,300 | +3.0% | 64% |
| Foresters | $70,660 | 1,100 | +1.2% | 37% |
| Conservation scientists | $67,950 | 2,500 | +3.4% | 52% |
| Forest and conservation technicians | $54,310 | 3,900 | -3.2% | 33% |
| Environmental science and protection technicians, including health | $49,490 | 5,600 | +4.0% | 46% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Natural Resources Conservation and Research at Grand Valley State University?
This program scores 41/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 44 (optimistic) to 36 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Natural Resources Conservation and Research career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates retain 8 of 8 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $237,498 (pessimistic) to $501,485 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates?
The career paths mapped to Natural Resources Conservation and Research have roughly 55,700 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Natural Resources Conservation and Research at Grand Valley State University worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 5.9x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 4.1x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.