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Best Environmental Science Programs 2026

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

23 programs ranked

$34,711 avg salary

16 public schools

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

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

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$56,501 median salary$14,832/yr net cost2.5 yr break-even+88% vs. HS diploma

Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

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

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

Northeastern University · Boston, MA

$42,990 median salary$32,116/yr net cost10.6 yr break-even+43% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Harvard University · Cambridge, MA

$41,939 median salary$16,816/yr net cost6.1 yr break-even+40% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

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

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

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$36,898 median salary$12,548/yr net cost8 yr break-even+23% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

Emory University · Atlanta, GA

$36,820 median salary$23,911/yr net cost15 yr break-even+23% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

George Washington University · Washington, DC

$35,320 median salary$37,454/yr net cost29.6 yr break-even+18% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

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

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$33,029 median salary$13,825/yr net cost19.9 yr break-even+10% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Boston University · Boston, MA

$32,224 median salary$26,996/yr net cost52.4 yr break-even+7% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ

$31,709 median salary$15,960/yr net cost41.5 yr break-even+6% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$28,217 median salary$18,165/yr net cost+-6% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA

$26,780 median salary$13,825/yr net cost+-11% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

The University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL

$26,760 median salary$22,150/yr net cost+-11% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

Iowa State University · Ames, IA

$26,485 median salary$18,165/yr net cost+-12% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA

$24,879 median salary$12,548/yr net cost+-17% vs. HS diploma

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI

$23,494 median salary$14,832/yr net cost+-22% vs. HS diploma

Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology

University of Georgia · Athens, GA

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

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

University of Florida · Gainesville, FL

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

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA

$19,780 median salary$43,939/yr net cost+-34% vs. HS diploma

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See how different environmental science programs stack up on cost, salary, and graduation rates.

Compare Schools Overall Rankings

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.