Natural Resources Conservation and Research: California State University-Long Beach vs University of California-Davis

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
23.0x
$28,032 tuition
11.0x
$60,988 tuition
Out-of-State
8.5x
$75,552 tuition
3.7x
$184,096 tuition
$643,658 10-yr earnings · Public
$672,161 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Long Beach University of California-Davis
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 23.0x 11.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 3.7x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,032 $60,988
Year 1 Earnings $33,870 $38,954
10-Year Earnings $644K $672K
Median Debt $14,000 $15,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.0 months 4.6 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 47/100 40/100
Acceptance Rate 47.1% 41.6%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates.

California State University-Long Beach University of California-Davis
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,032 $60,988
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,552 $184,096
10-Year Projected Earnings $644K $672K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 23.0x 11.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 3.7x
5-Year Salary Growth +101% +92%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Natural Resources Conservation and Research (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Long Beach University of California-Davis
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $663K $644K $576K $695K $672K $598K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 23.7x 23.0x 20.6x 11.4x 11.0x 9.8x
DegreeWorth Score 48 47 43 41 40 35

For the full AI analysis of Natural Resources Conservation and Research career paths, see the California State University-Long Beach or University of California-Davis program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$32,956
California State University-Long Beach saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,084/yr
University of California-Davis grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
23.0x / 11.0x
Out-of-state: 8.5x / 3.7x

Career Paths

Natural Resources Conservation and Research graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

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%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Natural Resources Conservation and Research: California State University-Long Beach or University of California-Davis?
California State University-Long Beach scores 47/100 while University of California-Davis scores 40/100. California State University-Long Beach has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Natural Resources Conservation and Research?
California State University-Long Beach has an in-state earnings multiple of 23.0x vs University of California-Davis's 11.0x. That means California State University-Long Beach grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $32,956 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do California State University-Long Beach and University of California-Davis compare on Natural Resources Conservation and Research earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $33,870 at California State University-Long Beach vs $38,954 at University of California-Davis. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $643,658 vs $672,161 — a difference of $28,503.
How much does Natural Resources Conservation and Research cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,032 at California State University-Long Beach and $60,988 at University of California-Davis. Median debt at graduation is $14,000 vs $15,000. Both programs lead to the same Natural Resources Conservation and Research career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
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.