Sustainability Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Sustainability Studies is an interdisciplinary academic field dedicated to understanding and advancing the long-term balance between environmental health, economic vitality, and social equity. This program equips students with the analytical frameworks and practical knowledge needed to address complex global challenges through innovative, responsible, and resilient solutions.
- Sustainable Development: Explores strategies for meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions.
- Environmental Policies: Examines the creation, implementation, and evaluation of laws and regulations designed to protect natural systems and promote ecological responsibility.
- Ethics in Sustainability: Investigates moral principles and values that guide decision-making in environmental stewardship, resource allocation, and intergenerational justice.
- Ecology: Studies the relationships between organisms and their environments, emphasizing ecosystem dynamics and the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and ecological stability.
- Landscape Architecture: Focuses on the design and planning of outdoor spaces that harmonize human use with ecological integrity and aesthetic value.
- City and Regional Planning: Addresses the organization and development of urban and rural environments to support sustainable communities, infrastructure, and transportation systems.
- Economics of Sustainability: Analyzes economic models and market mechanisms that incentivize environmentally sound practices and long-term resource management.
- Natural Resources Management: Covers the responsible use, conservation, and regeneration of finite resources such as water, forests, minerals, and energy sources.
- Sociology of Sustainability: Explores how social structures, behaviors, and institutions influence and are influenced by environmental change and sustainability initiatives.
- Anthropology and Sustainability: Investigates cultural perspectives on nature, traditional ecological knowledge, and human adaptation across diverse communities and historical contexts.
Sustainability Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Sustainability Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Sustainability Studies degrees, including Natural Sciences Managers, Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other and Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 489,450 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers 11-9121 | $161,180 | $79,830 - $239,200 | 100,870 | $77.49 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other 19-3099 | $100,340 | $62,570 - $160,810 | 36,970 | $48.24 |
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1053 | $87,710 | $50,670 - $164,290 | 7,130 | N/A |
| Urban and Regional Planners 19-3051 | $83,720 | $55,590 - $128,550 | 43,040 | $40.25 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health 19-2041 | $80,060 | $50,130 - $134,830 | 84,930 | $38.49 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other 25-1199 | $78,490 | $39,720 - $172,850 | 151,530 | N/A |
| Conservation Scientists 19-1031 | $67,950 | $45,260 - $107,720 | 25,590 | $32.67 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health 19-4042 | $49,490 | $36,130 - $85,630 | 39,390 | $23.79 |
Sustainability Studies Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $58,754 in Delaware to $109,813 in District of Columbia—a 87% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 489,450 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Sustainability Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Sustainability Studies programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Sustainability Studies is found at Harvard University (379 graduates), Columbia University in the City of New York (329 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (174 graduates), University of Utah (U of U) (137 graduates), and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) (129 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,898 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Residency
|
379 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
329 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
174 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
137 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
129 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
122 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
|
93 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
87 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) |
Postbac Cert.
|
80 | Blacksburg, Virginia | Public | vt.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Other Award
|
72 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Master's
|
71 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Master's
|
67 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
|
66 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Western Washington University (WWU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
64 | Bellingham, Washington | Public | wwu.edu |
| University of South Florida (USF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
60 | Tampa, Florida | Public | usf.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
58 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
|
57 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
55 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
55 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
55 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Cornell University |
Master's
|
53 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
48 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Master's
|
46 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
45 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Master's
|
44 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
42 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| Allegheny College |
Bachelor's
|
42 | Meadville, Pennsylvania | Private | allegheny.edu |
| Presidio Graduate School (PGS) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
42 | San Francisco, California | Private | presidio.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
38 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| Stanford University |
Master's
|
37 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
36 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
36 | Daytona Beach, Florida | Private | worldwide.erau.edu |
| George Mason University |
Bachelor's
|
34 | Fairfax, Virginia | Public | www2.gmu.edu |
| Unity Environmental University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
31 | New Gloucester, Maine | Private | unity.edu |
| University of New Hampshire (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Durham, New Hampshire | Public | unh.edu |
| University of Louisville (UofL) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Louisville, Kentucky | Public | louisville.edu |
| Montclair State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Montclair, New Jersey | Public | montclair.edu |
| Coastal Carolina University (CCU) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Conway, South Carolina | Public | coastal.edu |
| Colorado Mountain College (CMC) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Glenwood Springs, Colorado | Public | coloradomtn.edu |
| The University of the South |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Sewanee, Tennessee | Private | sewanee.edu |
| University of California (UCR) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Riverside, California | Public | ucr.edu |
| Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) |
Master's
|
25 | Savannah, Georgia | Private | scad.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) |
Master's
|
24 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | jhu.edu |
| The New School |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
24 | New York, New York | Private | newschool.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWGB) |
Master's
|
23 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Public | uwgb.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Master's
|
22 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
21 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) |
Master's
|
21 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | risd.edu |
| CUNY City College (CCNY) |
Master's
|
20 | New York, New York | Public | ccny.cuny.edu |
| Mesa Community College (MCC) |
Associate's
|
19 | Mesa, Arizona | Public | mesacc.edu |
| Chatham University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
19 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | chatham.edu |
| Tufts University |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
18 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
18 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| SUNY College |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Geneseo, New York | Public | geneseo.edu |
| Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) |
Master's
|
18 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Private | cmu.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Master's
|
17 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| West Virginia University (WVU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Morgantown, West Virginia | Public | wvu.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
17 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus |
Master's
|
16 | Denver, Colorado | Public | ucdenver.edu |
| Bellevue University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Bellevue, Nebraska | Private | bellevue.edu |
| Wake Forest University (WFC) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
16 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Private | wfu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Superior, Wisconsin | Public | uwsuper.edu |
| Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) |
Master's
|
15 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | iit.edu |
| Pratt Institute |
Master's
|
15 | Brooklyn, New York | Private | pratt.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
15 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
15 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| University of South Dakota (USD) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
15 | Vermillion, South Dakota | Public | usd.edu |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | maryville.edu |
| Barnard College |
Bachelor's
|
14 | New York, New York | Private | barnard.edu |
| Furman University |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Greenville, South Carolina | Private | furman.edu |
| Texas State University (TXST) |
Master's
|
14 | San Marcos, Texas | Public | txst.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWO) |
Master's
Other Award
|
14 | Oshkosh, Wisconsin | Public | uwosh.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
13 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Master's
|
13 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Hofstra University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
13 | Hempstead, New York | Private | hofstra.edu |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
13 | Rochester, New York | Private | rit.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Master's
|
12 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Private | wpi.edu |
| Montana State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Bozeman, Montana | Public | montana.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Master's
|
12 | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Public | uwstout.edu |
| Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) |
Associate's
|
12 | Phoenix, Arizona | Public | paradisevalley.edu |
| Everglades University |
Master's
|
12 | Boca Raton, Florida | Private | evergladesuniversity.edu |
| Auburn University (AU) |
Master's
|
11 | Auburn, Alabama | Public | auburn.edu |
| DePaul University |
Master's
|
11 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| Kansas State University (K‑State) |
Master's
|
11 | Manhattan, Kansas | Public | k-state.edu |
| Michigan Technological University (MTU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
11 | Houghton, Michigan | Public | mtu.edu |
| Stevens Institute of Technology |
Master's
|
11 | Hoboken, New Jersey | Private | stevens.edu |
| Stockton University |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Galloway, New Jersey | Public | stockton.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Platteville |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Platteville, Wisconsin | Public | uwplatt.edu |
| Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) |
Associate's
|
11 | Chandler, Arizona | Public | cgc.maricopa.edu |
| University of Denver (DU) |
Master's
|
10 | Denver, Colorado | Private | du.edu |
| Colorado Mesa University (CMU) |
Residency
|
10 | Grand Junction, Colorado | Public | coloradomesa.edu |
| University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Greeley, Colorado | Public | unco.edu |
| Regis University |
Master's
|
10 | Denver, Colorado | Private | regis.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| Southern Oregon University (SOU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
10 | Ashland, Oregon | Public | sou.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Sustainability Studies programs
How much can I earn with a Sustainability Studies degree?
Salaries for Sustainability Studies graduates vary by role and location. Natural Sciences Managers earn a median of $161,180 annually, while Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other earn around $100,340. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $109,813 compared to $58,754 in Delaware. Approximately 489,450 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Sustainability Studies programs?
Currently 226 accredited institutions offer Sustainability Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Harvard University (379 graduates), Columbia University in the City of New York (329 graduates), and University of Wisconsin-Madison (174 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Sustainability Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 90 in 2010 to 4,374 in 2023-24. This represents a 4,760% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Sustainability Studies degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Natural Sciences Managers, Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other, and Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 489,450 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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