The field of wildlife biology is fast becoming increasingly important due to the enormous impact humans have had on the environment and wildlife overall. Wildlife biology degree programs prepare students for jobs managing wildlife populations at the state or federal governmental level.
Wildlife biology degree programs educate students in the many ways wildlife biology professionals can manage the population of many species, including the modification of habitats, harvesting, and the appropriate setting of hunting guidelines. Students study the eco-systems and habitats of animals to understand better how they live in the wild and among humans and their growing civilization.
Still, other wildlife biology degree professionals work in the realm of research. Instead of focusing on wildlife populations, they seek to study the scientific basis to determine how and why wildlife populations change.
Wildlife biology professionals work at the many US national parks, state agencies, nature preserves, and even zoos – interfacing among many living organisms, their required environment, and the needs of the human population.
Top 5 Wildlife Biology Degree Programs
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming |
| 2 | Fort Valley State University | Fort Valley, Georgia |
| 3 | Peru State College | Peru, Nebraska |
| 4 | Southern Arkansas University | Magnolia, Arkansas |
| 5 | Frostburg State University | Frostburg, Maryland |
It is noted that certain wildlife biology degree programs are accredited through the Wildlife Society (TWS)– a professional, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the professional standards for the many diverse activities dedicated to wildlife and its resources. Students are highly encouraged to choose a degree program that has received this preferred credential of accreditation.
Typically, wildlife biologists will need their bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions in the field of wildlife biology; however, students are encouraged to pursue a graduate or post-graduate degree if they wish to scientific research or investigation. Those who want to teach at the university level are typically required to hold a doctoral-level degree to do so.
Best 19 Wildlife Biology Degree Programs
The University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming’s Department of Zoology and Physiology, located in Laramie, offers one of the nation’s best wildlife biology degree programs with its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Biology (WFBM) and Management. This undergraduate degree from UW in wildlife biology has two distinct academic tracks in aquatic or terrestrial animals.
School Overview
Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley State University (FVSU) College of Arts/Sciences offers one of Georgia’s top wildlife biology degree programs with its baccalaureate degree in Fisheries Biology & Wildlife Conservation. Students enrolled in FVSU’s wildlife biology degree program complete classes in biology, organic chemistry, immunology, entomology, and biotechniques, to name a few.
School Overview
Peru State College
Peru State College (PSC) offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Natural Science with an academic concentration in wildlife ecology that is among Nebraska’s best wildlife biology degree programs. Classes for this undergraduate degree in wildlife biology include limnology, epidemiology, and wildlife techniques, to name a few.
School Overview
Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University’s College of Science & Engineering offers one of Arkansas’ top wildlife biology degree programs with its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Biology & Conservation. Classes for this undergraduate degree in wildlife biology include evolutionary biology, zoology, botany, and wildlife ecology, plant physiology, among others.
School Overview
Frostburg State University
Frostburg State University (FSU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Wildlife and Fisheries that is among the top wildlife biology degree programs in Maryland. Students enrolled in FSU’s wildlife biology undergraduate degree program explores the many ways to manage and protect the environment for animals against human impact in the many diverse environs in the Allegheny Mountains and surrounding areas. Students can opt for several tracks, including general, professional fisheries, or professional wildlife.
School Overview
University of Alaska
The University of Alaska (UA Fairbanks) offers one of the nation’s top wildlife biology degree programs with its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. Students enrolled in the University of Alaska’s undergraduate wildlife biology degree program complete classes in arctic vegetation, population ecology, a survey of wildlife science, and conservation genetics, to name a few.
School Overview
Emporia State University
Emporia State University’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology, Fisheries, and Wildlife Concentration that is among the top programs in the state of Kansas and beyond. Students enter the workforce prepared for careers as wildlife area managers, environmental consultants, or in the realm of wildlife research, among others.
School Overview
The State University of New York’s (SUNY) Environmental Science & Forestry College
SUNY Environmental Science & Forestry’s Environmental and Forest Biology offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Wildlife Science that is among the nation’s top and oldest wildlife biology degree programs. Established in 1919 and located in upstate New York (Syracuse), SUNY’s wildlife biology undergraduate program has received both international and national acclaim.
School Overview
Texas State University
Texas State University’s Science & Engineering College offers one of Texas’s top wildlife biology degree programs. Located in San Marcos, Texas, TSU’s Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in wildlife biology offers students a comprehensive program that includes an active Wildlife Society student chapters. Classes for this wildlife biology from TSU include advanced physiology, advanced wildlife policy, and advanced biometry, among others.
School Overview
Lake Superior State University
Located in Sault Ste. Marie, Lake Superior State University’s (LSSU) Environment & Science College offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Conservation Biology with a concentration in human dimensions that is one of the more unique wildlife biology degree programs. Students explore local natural resources throughout this undergraduate degree in wildlife conservation and biology.
School Overview
Colorado State University
Located in Fort Collins, Colorado State University’s (CSU) Warner Natural Resources College offers one of the nation’s best wildlife biology degree programs with its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree that offers several concentrations. Students enrolled in wildlife biology, aquatic science, fisheries, and conservation biology. Additionally, students can round out their degree with minors like zoology, watershed science, global sustainability, and eco-restoration, among others.
School Overview
Unity College
Unity College (UC) is known as America’s Environmental College and offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology that is among the nation’s top wildlife biology degree programs. Unity College’s wildlife biology degree program is a hybrid-delivered program with eight yearly start-dates. Students graduate and enter the workforce as wildlife technicians, fisheries biologists, or GIS technicians, among others.
School Overview
Keystone College
Located in La Plume, Keystone College offers one of Pennsylvania’s best wildlife biology degree programs with its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Wildlife Biology. In addition to an all-important wildlife biology internship, students will also complete classes in chemistry, biology, botany, zoology, and physical geology, to name a few.
School Overview
University of Montana
The University of Montana‘s W.A. Franke College of Forestry & Conservation offers one of Montana’s top wildlife biology degree programs and one of the nation’s top wildlife biology programs. Students can earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Wildlife Biology and choose a terrestrial or an aquatic academic option.
In 2016, Academic Analytics ranked them as the number one wildlife biology program in the nation based on the research productivity of their faculty when compared against the top research universities in North America identified by the Association of American Universities (AAU). Since then, their research productivity has only increased. Additionally, faculty at UM are required to teach, so their top-performing wildlife research faculty are actually in the classroom teaching undergrads. Further, their research productivity directly supports hands-on learning opportunities for undergraduate students locally, nationally, and globally.
School Overview
Ball State University
Ball State University (BSU) offers two wildlife biology degree programs from its Indiana campus, Muncie, with its Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or its Bachelor of Science (BS) degree programs Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Biology & Conservation. Core concentration for the wildlife biology degree program includes biometry, taxonomy, dendrology, and taxonomy, to name a few.
School Overview
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont’s Rubenstein Environment and Natural Resources School offers one of the country’s recognized top wildlife biology degree programs. This undergraduate degree from UVM, located in Burlington, offers two fundamental academic tracks – wildlife biology or fisheries biology. Core classes include organic chemistry, natural resource ecological assessment, and wildlife management, to name a few.
School Overview
Lees-McRae Colleg
Located in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Lees-McRae College offers one of North Carolina’s best wildlife biology degree programs with its baccalaureate degree in wildlife biology. Students enrolled in LMC’s wildlife biology degree program have the opportunity to research and care for more than 1,400 animals each annum.
School Overview
Charleston Southern University
Charleston Southern University (CSU) offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology with a Wildlife Emphasis that is among South Carolina’s top wildlife biology degree programs. Classes for this degree program include ornithology, herpetology, mammalogy, and organic biochemistry, to name a few.
School Overview
Warren Wilson College
The Biology Department at Warren Wilson College offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in Conservation Biology that is among North Carolina’s top wildlife biology degree programs. Classes for this undergraduate degree from WWC include evolutionary biology, genetics, general biology, zoology, comparative vertebrate anatomy, among others.
School Overview
Our Ranking Methodology
The wildlife biology degree programs ranked above include a cross-section of available programs throughout the United States. These wildlife biology degree programs have been ranked and listed by each school’s tuition costs, with the most affordable wildlife biology degree programs listed first.
Each school offering these wildlife biology degree programs includes a hyperlink to the wildlife biology degree programs plus this additional information obtained from each program’s proprietary website and the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) website.
- Tuition fees are noted on a per-semester basis – for 15 semester credits unless otherwise noted. Tuition costs represent the costs to attend the school for the school year 2020 to 2021 or 2019 to 2020, if noted.
- The number of semester credits required indicates to potential students the depth of the program and the requirements to meet to earn one of the noted wildlife biology degree programs.
- The accreditation information is offered to help students understand which sanctioned accrediting bodies have reviewed and accredited the school or the program in question.
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