Environmental Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding the complex relationships between human societies and the natural world. It equips students with analytical frameworks to address pressing ecological challenges through scientific inquiry, social critique, and ethical reflection. This program emphasizes systems thinking, sustainability, and real-world problem-solving across diverse environmental contexts.
- Ecology and Environmental Science: Explores the structure and function of ecosystems, species interactions, and environmental change through empirical research and fieldwork.
- Environmental Policy and Governance: Examines how laws, regulations, and institutional frameworks shape environmental protection and resource management at local, national, and global levels.
- Sustainability and Resource Management: Focuses on strategies for responsible use of natural resources, including water, forests, and energy, to ensure long-term ecological and economic viability.
- Environmental Justice and Social Dimensions: Investigates how environmental risks and benefits are distributed across communities, with attention to equity, marginalized populations, and community-based solutions.
- Environmental Economics and Decision-Making: Applies economic models to evaluate environmental costs and benefits, supporting informed choices in conservation, development, and policy design.
- Pollution Control and Environmental Health: Studies the sources, impacts, and mitigation of air, water, and soil pollution, with an emphasis on public health and regulatory standards.
- Environmental Planning and Urban Ecology: Integrates land-use planning, infrastructure development, and ecological principles to create resilient, sustainable communities and built environments.
Environmental Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Environmental Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Environmental Studies degrees, including Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health and Compliance Officers. 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 489,830 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1053 | $87,710 | $50,670 - $164,290 | 7,130 | N/A |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health 19-2041 | $80,060 | $50,130 - $134,830 | 84,930 | $38.49 |
| Compliance Officers 13-1041 | $78,420 | $46,230 - $130,030 | 397,770 | $37.70 |
Environmental Studies Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $60,130 in Mississippi to $100,690 in District of Columbia—a 67% difference. The highest-paying states include District of Columbia, California, and Massachusetts. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 489,830 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 Environmental Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Environmental 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 Environmental Studies is found at University of California (UCSB), Santa Barbara (352 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (350 graduates), University of Colorado Boulder (CU) (292 graduates), University of California (UCB), Berkeley (277 graduates), and University of Pennsylvania (Penn) (185 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 7,167 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
|
352 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
350 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
292 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
277 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
185 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
178 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
165 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
163 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of California (UCSC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
145 | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| University of Phoenix (UOPX) |
Bachelor's
|
144 | Phoenix, Arizona | Private | phoenix.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
|
137 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
136 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Harvard University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
126 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| University of Vermont (UVM) |
Bachelor's
|
121 | Burlington, Vermont | Public | uvm.edu |
| Columbia Southern University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
109 | Orange Beach, Alabama | Private | columbiasouthern.edu |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) |
Bachelor's
|
106 | Orlando, Florida | Public | ucf.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
103 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Other Award
|
92 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| Appalachian State University (App State) |
Bachelor's
|
90 | Boone, North Carolina | Public | appstate.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
89 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
|
83 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
|
82 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Texas A & M University |
Bachelor's
|
78 | College Station, Texas | Public | tamu.edu |
| Northeastern University (NU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
76 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | northeastern.edu |
| Duke University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
76 | Durham, North Carolina | Private | duke.edu |
| Middlebury College |
Bachelor's
|
76 | Middlebury, Vermont | Private | middlebury.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
75 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
|
74 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| Eckerd College |
Bachelor's
|
73 | Saint Petersburg, Florida | Private | eckerd.edu |
| Antioch University (AUNE) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
73 | Keene, New Hampshire | Private | antiochne.edu |
| Tufts University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
71 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| Western Washington University (WWU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
70 | Bellingham, Washington | Public | wwu.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
|
69 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
69 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
69 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
68 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| Binghamton University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
68 | Vestal, New York | Public | binghamton.edu |
| Grand Valley State University (GVSU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
61 | Allendale, Michigan | Public | gvsu.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
61 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
61 | Fort Myers, Florida | Public | fgcu.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
|
59 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
59 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Tulane University of Louisiana |
Bachelor's
|
58 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Private | tulane.edu |
| Stockton University |
Bachelor's
|
58 | Galloway, New Jersey | Public | stockton.edu |
| University of Chicago (UChicago) |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | uchicago.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Master's
|
55 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Bachelor's
|
54 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Asheville, North Carolina | Public | unca.edu |
| Kent State University |
Bachelor's
|
52 | Kent, Ohio | Public | kent.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
51 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Prescott College (PC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
49 | Prescott, Arizona | Private | prescott.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
49 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| Boston College (BC) |
Bachelor's
|
49 | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | Private | bc.edu |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
49 | Syracuse, New York | Public | esf.edu |
| University of San Francisco (USF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
48 | San Francisco, California | Private | usfca.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Bachelor's
|
47 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| Western Colorado University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
46 | Gunnison, Colorado | Public | western.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
|
46 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| University of Wyoming (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
45 | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | uwyo.edu |
| University of Miami (UM) |
Bachelor's
|
44 | Coral Gables, Florida | Private | miami.edu |
| California State University (CSUMB) |
Bachelor's
|
43 | Seaside, California | Public | csumb.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Bachelor's
|
42 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| California State University (CSUSM) |
Bachelor's
|
42 | San Marcos, California | Public | csusm.edu |
| University of South Carolina (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
41 | Columbia, South Carolina | Public | sc.edu |
| Bates College |
Bachelor's
|
40 | Lewiston, Maine | Private | bates.edu |
| Oberlin College |
Bachelor's
|
39 | Oberlin, Ohio | Private | oberlin.edu |
| Emory University |
Bachelor's
|
38 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
37 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| Fort Lewis College (FLC) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Durango, Colorado | Public | fortlewis.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
37 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Boise State University (BBU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
37 | Boise, Idaho | Public | boisestate.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Brown University |
Bachelor's
|
37 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| Northern Michigan University (NMU) |
Bachelor's
|
36 | Marquette, Michigan | Public | nmu.edu |
| Colgate University |
Bachelor's
|
35 | Hamilton, New York | Private | colgate.edu |
| Macalester College |
Bachelor's
|
34 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Private | macalester.edu |
| Mississippi State University (MSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
34 | Mississippi State, Mississippi | Public | msstate.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Master's
|
34 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Middletown, Connecticut | Private | wesleyan.edu |
| St Olaf College |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Northfield, Minnesota | Private | wp.stolaf.edu |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges (HWS) |
Bachelor's
|
33 | Geneva, New York | Private | hws.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
32 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) |
Master's
|
32 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Public | ncsu.edu |
| Southern Oregon University (SOU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
32 | Ashland, Oregon | Public | sou.edu |
| The Evergreen State College |
Master's
Residency
|
32 | Olympia, Washington | Public | evergreen.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Bachelor's
|
31 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | St. Mary's City, Maryland | Public | smcm.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
|
30 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| California State Polytechnic University (Cal Poly Humboldt) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Arcata, California | Public | humboldt.edu |
| Gustavus Adolphus College |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Saint Peter, Minnesota | Private | gustavus.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| College of Charleston (CofC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
29 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | cofc.edu |
| Tennessee Technological University (TTU) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
29 | Cookeville, Tennessee | Public | tntech.edu |
| Baylor University |
Bachelor's
|
29 | Waco, Texas | Private | baylor.edu |
| The University of Tampa (UTampa) |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Tampa, Florida | Private | ut.edu |
| Colorado College |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Private | coloradocollege.edu |
| Northern Illinois University (NIU) |
Bachelor's
|
27 | Dekalb, Illinois | Public | niu.edu |
| Rowan University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
27 | Glassboro, New Jersey | Public | rowan.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Environmental Studies programs
How much can I earn with a Environmental Studies degree?
Salaries for Environmental Studies graduates vary by role and location. Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $87,710 annually, while Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health earn around $80,060. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in District of Columbia average $100,690 compared to $60,130 in Mississippi. Approximately 489,830 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 Environmental Studies programs?
Currently 476 accredited institutions offer Environmental Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of California (UCSB), Santa Barbara (352 graduates), University of Wisconsin-Madison (350 graduates), and University of Colorado Boulder (CU) (292 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 Environmental Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 4,864 in 2010 to 10,185 in 2023-24. This represents a 109% 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 Environmental Studies degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary, Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health, and Compliance Officers. Related occupations employ approximately 489,830 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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