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Best Environmental Science Programs 2026

Top environmental science programs ranked by salary. Compare ecology and conservation programs across schools.

17 programs ranked

$37,052 avg salary

15 public schools

View as table

Rank	Program	School	State	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Value Score	Break-Even
1	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	University of Georgia	GA	$60,173	$13,816/yr	91/100	2.1 yr
2	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$58,700	$18,292/yr	90/100	2.8 yr
3	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$56,501	$13,138/yr	90/100	2.3 yr
4	Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering	University of Florida	FL	$56,025	$6,351/yr	90/100	1.2 yr
5	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Harvard University	MA	$41,939	$19,066/yr	78/100	6.8 yr
6	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	University of California-Berkeley	CA	$41,250	$13,481/yr	79/100	5.2 yr
7	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	VA	$40,493	$23,790/yr	64/100	9.8 yr
8	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	Brandeis University	MA	$39,408	$33,885/yr	41/100	15.4 yr
9	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	Indiana University-Bloomington	IN	$33,494	$15,342/yr	54/100	19.6 yr
10	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	$32,665	$18,292/yr	49/100	30.2 yr
11	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	NC	$29,460	$12,983/yr	54/100	N/A
12	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$27,422	$16,928/yr	43/100	N/A
13	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	$23,512	$16,928/yr	37/100	N/A
14	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$23,494	$13,138/yr	48/100	N/A
15	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	University of Georgia	GA	$23,064	$13,816/yr	44/100	N/A
16	Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	$21,158	$13,138/yr	44/100	N/A
17	Natural Resources Conservation and Research	University of Florida	FL	$21,118	$6,351/yr	54/100	N/A

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

91/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$60,173 median salary$13,816/yr net cost2.1 yr break-even+101% vs. HS diploma

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

90/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$58,700 median salary$18,292/yr net cost2.8 yr break-even+96% vs. HS diploma

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

90/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$56,501 median salary$13,138/yr net cost2.3 yr break-even+88% vs. HS diploma

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

90/100Public

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$56,025 median salary$6,351/yr net cost1.2 yr break-even+87% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

78/100

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$41,939 median salary$19,066/yr net cost6.8 yr break-even+40% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

79/100Public

University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA

$41,250 median salary$13,481/yr net cost5.2 yr break-even+38% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

64/100Public

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA

$40,493 median salary$23,790/yr net cost9.8 yr break-even+35% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

41/100

Brandeis University · Waltham, MA

$39,408 median salary$33,885/yr net cost15.4 yr break-even+31% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

54/100Public

Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN

$33,494 median salary$15,342/yr net cost19.6 yr break-even+12% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

49/100Public

Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH

$32,665 median salary$18,292/yr net cost30.2 yr break-even+9% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

54/100Public

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC

$29,460 median salary$12,983/yr net cost+-2% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

43/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$27,422 median salary$16,928/yr net cost+-9% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

37/100Public

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI

$23,512 median salary$16,928/yr net cost+-22% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

48/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$23,494 median salary$13,138/yr net cost+-22% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

44/100Public

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

$23,064 median salary$13,816/yr net cost+-23% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

44/100Public

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$21,158 median salary$13,138/yr net cost+-29% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

54/100Public

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

$21,118 median salary$6,351/yr net cost+-30% vs. HS diploma

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Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Programs are ranked by median earnings 1 year after completion. Data reflects bachelor's degree programs only.