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Job outlook for resource managers in the United States
Are resource manager jobs in demand?
Resource manager job and salary trends over time
Resource manager jobs over time
Resource manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,138 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,951 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,917 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,705 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,568 | 0.00% |
Average resource manager salary over time
Resource manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $77,116 | $37.07 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $74,253 | $35.70 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $72,077 | $34.65 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $70,054 | $33.68 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | $68,012 | $32.70 | +2.4% |
Resource manager jobs by state
Most common states for resource managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 228 | 33% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 90 | 12% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 587 | 9% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 84 | 9% |
| 5 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,018 | 8% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 640 | 8% |
| 7 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 625 | 8% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 50 | 8% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 47 | 8% |
| 10 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 744 | 7% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 482 | 7% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 429 | 7% |
| 13 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 412 | 7% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 303 | 7% |
| 15 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 255 | 7% |
| 16 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 69 | 7% |
| 17 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,470 | 6% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 732 | 6% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 498 | 6% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 67 | 6% |
Most common cities for resource managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $75,791 |
| 2 | Irving | 2 | 1% | $63,849 |
| 3 | Tampa | 2 | 1% | $63,376 |
| 4 | Boca Raton | 1 | 1% | $63,543 |
| 5 | Burbank | 1 | 1% | $86,405 |
| 6 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $75,045 |
| 7 | Los Angeles | 4 | 0% | $86,423 |
| 8 | Phoenix | 3 | 0% | $82,126 |
| 9 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $80,887 |
| 10 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $69,959 |
| 11 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $75,148 |
| 12 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $82,636 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $69,806 |
| 14 | Miami | 2 | 0% | $63,822 |
| 15 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $75,715 |
| 16 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $66,724 |
| 17 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $72,761 |
Resource Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of resource manager experts
Kansas State University
Hawaii Pacific University
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Richmond
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Centenary College of Louisiana
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Daemen College
Jack Henry & Associates
What general advice would you give to a Resource Manager?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: The most important skills in natural resource management are communication skills (both speaking and writing), and that's unlikely to change at any point in the future. There's a common misunderstanding that natural resource management professions don't involve people, but humans are both the cause and the solution to every natural resource management challenge we face today - from climate change to human-wildlife conflict. If you can't effectively communicate with diverse audiences including scientists, practitioners, policy-makers, and the general public, you will struggle. Honing those communication skills earlier and often is the key to a successful career. Another skill that is increasingly important is data management and analysis, especially GIS and spatial data.
What Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: Natural resource management is an applied field, so gaining real-world experience is critical. Try out a few temporary jobs or internships to get a better sense of what you enjoy doing. Whether it's field work, analysis and reporting, outreach and engagement, or something else, you might not discover your strengths and preferences until you get your feet wet or get your boots muddy. Be flexible. Your dream job is unlikely to emerge right away, but gaining experience in a variety of places/contexts and building a professional network of connections will ultimately help you find it. Embrace the unexpected, as that's one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of working outdoors.
What will help Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Lincoln Larson Ph.D.: Few people enter the field of natural resource management for the money, but if you want to earn more in this field, it's important to think about when/how to pursue an advanced degree (e.g., MS or PhD). That increases your potential for upward mobility within an agency or organization. Building leadership skills, including communication, is also important. Many natural resource professionals are not trained to interact with and lead people, but those are the skills required in a managerial role. Taking courses or adding a minor in a field like parks, recreation and tourism management can help build skills in these areas.
What Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nathan Hendricks: Data analytics and interdisciplinary training will become increasingly important. Decisions are increasingly being informed by data and natural resource management requires knowledge across a broad range of disciplines.
What general advice would you give to a Resource Manager?
Charles Martin PhD: A career in Natural Resources Management can seem like a daunting task at first, but preparation is key. Our MS program at the University of South Alabama in Marine Conservation and Resource Management emphasizes relevant coursework, the development of technical and applied skills, and networking opportunities through internships and professional meetings. We’ve found this to dramatically enhance a student's success in joining a workforce immediately out of a graduate degree and have a near-100% placement after graduating from our program.
What Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Charles Martin PhD: Marketable skills are critical for finding the right job. We offer several certifications in our MS degree that make our students’ resumes stand out in the crowd - including GIS training and quantitative skills. Prospective employees that can work with large datasets, analyze them, and communicate results always have a leg up on the competition. These skills will be imperative over the next 3-5 years and even beyond that.
What will help Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Charles Martin PhD: The key starting out is not staying in graduate school longer than necessary. Our MS in Marine Conservation and Resource Management is designed so that students are in and graduated within two years. The faster a student gets into the workforce, the better their long-term salary prospects are.
What will help Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Brenden Holland: This is an industry that is undergoing massive growth, and there is an unprecedented need for expansion of this workforce. There is broad consensus that environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity on a global scale has reached a crisis point. One term used for the era we are living in is the Anthropocene, defining our current geological age as an era where human activity is having an unprecedented, massive impact on climate and the environment. Now is the best time in history to enter this field!
Vidya Kalaramadam Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender StudiesWhat Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Vidya Kalaramadam Ph.D.: Double major or at least pick up a couple minors and alternate credentials such as certificates. For instance, combine your degree in Race, Gender and Minority Studies with a degree in Business or Public Health or Criminal Justice or Psychology
Learn a second language to some degree of fluency
Get work experience / internship experience that connects to your broader career goals and skillset
Dr. Melissa Price
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Resource Manager?
Dr. Melissa Price: If you can identify a need and start a nonprofit or for profit business to fill that need, there is huge salary potential. For example, in natural resource management much of the work is contracted out to various sectors. If you live in a rural or remote island area such as Hawai'i, many of these contractors need to be flown in from outside the area, dramatically increasing costs. If you can develop a local business model to meet these needs, you essentially will have a corner on the market. Examples include heavy machinery, genetic analysis services, water testing services, certification training, decision analysis and facilitation, native plant nurseries, biosecurity, and helicopter services for transportation and materials delivery to remote work sites. Any preparation that demonstrates capacity for leadership positions will help you obtain positions beyond entry level technicians. Specialized skills will also help you negotiate salaries. While a solid understanding of the scientific aspects of the job are important, many higher level positions require an understanding of project management. Coursework or internships that include use of spreadsheets, preparation of reports, or team management will demonstrate that you can quickly move into project management positions.
What Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melissa Price: Basic field skills will always be in high demand and will help you obtain entry level positions. For example, bird banding, herbicide, chainsaw, and wildfire certifications are often items that employers need to train you in immediately after hire. Thus, candidates who already have these certifications save employers time and money up front. Further, if you develop these skills to a level where you are certified to train others, you will be in particularly high demand. 'Soft skill' development such as writing skills, verbal communication, visual presentations, graphics, team-building, and networking are critical to solving the challenging problems we face in natural resource management. In particular, seek out training in the field of 'Decision Analysis', to prepare you for making challenging decisions in the face of uncertainty.
What will help Resource Managers increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melissa Price: As the human population grows from 8 billion to 12 billion people during your lifetime, your choice of working in the natural resource management sector will be in high demand and critical to thriving communities. Given the high needs in this area, creative integration of your passions and skills will be particularly helpful in driving innovation in this field. More than ever, we need people with strong communication and engagement skills, alongside technical and social innovation. While in school, seek out diverse internships that help you develop skills and networks. While maximizing salary potential is important, as you begin your career choose positions that build skills and/or make a difference on issues you care about. Even with a good salary, solving real problems can be emotionally and mentally challenging. Development of healthy life skills, time management, and social networks are as important to your success as skills developed in the academic sector.
What Resource Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Resource Managers?
John Barr: The most important hard/technical skills are experience and training in such areas as workplace investigations, overseeing various employee programs and documentation related to leaving, handbooks, job descriptions, wages, benefits, hiring, and terminations, developing a diverse workforce, and training in the future of the workforce.
Anthony Nyberg
Department Chair and Professor, Program Director, Master of Human ResourcesUniversity of South Carolina - Columbia
Management Department
What skills will help Resource Managers earn the most?
Anthony Nyberg: The skills that lead, in the short term, to the highest earnings involve analytical skills. The skills that lead to the highest earnings over time include professionalism and strong interpersonal skills. If you can master both, you have created the foundation for a very strong career in HR.
Dr. Barbara Davis
William J. Atkins DeanCentenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
What experience really stands out on Resource Manager resumes?
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.
What skills stand out on Resource Manager resumes?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Resource Managers in the next 5 years?
Karen Sharp-Price: Human Resources is one of the specializations within the business that is ever-changing and developing. There are so many different areas within Human Resources that graduates can pursue. Some of the more traditional aspects are; compensation, benefits, recruitment, employee engagement, and training.
Some believe that Human Resources is slowly being replaced by technology. My personal opinion is that technology has definitely created new ways to be more effective and efficient within Human Resources, but I think technology has its place and its limitations. While technology will not completely replace the HR professional, I do believe that HR specializations are becoming more updated by using technology. The most obvious example is HR Technology with regard to training, communication, and onboarding.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Resource Managers?
Rachel Raymond: I think there is always an impact on graduates during economic downturns. However, how graduates manage their careers and make decisions, during more robust years, can have a considerable effect on their long term professional outcomes. Graduates today may have to sacrifice what their 'ideal job' looked like to them a few months back and be realistic about what they need to do to get into the professional field. Getting into an area that is somewhat relative to your long-term professional goals is better than waiting for two years without any opportunity. This is not meant to be discouraging, and I recommend continuing to strive toward your long term goals. Still, I think most people are surprised at opportunities they sometimes stumble upon that they have not considered otherwise. Leverage your networking skills, find a mentor, take some chances, and be flexible.