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Environmental Science

Types of Degrees Environmental Science Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Environmental Science may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	17
Associate’s Degree	437
Bachelor’s Degree	8,568
Master’s Degree	1,427
Doctor’s Degree	230

What Environmental Science Majors Need to Know

Programs in Environmental Science emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Environmental Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Environmental Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Environmental Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Environmental Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Environmental Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Environmental Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Environmental Science graduates include:

• Compliance Analyst
• Compliance Coordinator
• Regulatory Compliance Specialist
• Regulatory Analyst
• Environmental Protection Specialist
• Environmental Compliance Inspector
• Compliance Investigator
• Civil Rights Specialist
• Grievance and Appeals Coordinator
• Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist (EEO Specialist)
• Grievance Coordinator
• Equal Opportunity Counselor
• Human Rights Officer
• Civil Rights Investigator
• Complaint Investigations Officer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Environmental Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	48.7%
Master’s degree	12.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	8.1%
Some college courses	5.4%
Doctoral degree	4.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	4.2%
Postsecondary certificate	3.8%
Post-doctoral training	2.7%
First professional degree	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Environmental Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 61.3% of Environmental Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6,551	61.3%
Men	4,128	38.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Environmental Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	7,093	66.4%
Asian	520	4.9%
Hispanic or Latino	1,415	13.3%
Black or African American	300	2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	88	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	22	0.2%
Two or More Races	520	4.9%
Race Unknown	342	3.2%
International Students	379	3.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Environmental Science Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Environmental Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,020
4 years	$50,009
5 years	$58,179

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $58,179 — roughly 53% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Environmental Science Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Environmental Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	5	7
Bachelor’s	9	10
Master’s	5	14

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Environmental Science Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Environmental Science graduates earn a median of $50,009 four years after completion — roughly 32% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	03.01
Environmental Studies	03.0103
Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other	03.0199
Natural Resources/Conservation, General	03.0101
Energy and Environmental Policy	03.0209

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.