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Environmental Studies

Types of Degrees Environmental Studies Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1
Associate’s Degree	193
Bachelor’s Degree	7,848
Master’s Degree	2,023
Doctor’s Degree	115

What Environmental Studies Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 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 emphasized by a Environmental Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Environmental Studies 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 Studies 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	4.3 / 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 Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation 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	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser 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 Studies graduates include:

• Compliance Coordinator
• Compliance Analyst
• Regulatory Compliance Specialist
• Regulatory Analyst
• Environmental Protection Specialist
• Compliance Investigator
• Environmental Compliance Inspector
• Civil Rights Specialist
• Affirmative Action Officer (AA Officer)
• Civil Rights Investigator
• Appeals Coordinator
• Grievance and Appeals Coordinator
• Human Rights Officer
• Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist (EEO Specialist)
• Equal Opportunity Specialist

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	48.6%
Master’s degree	12.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.7%
Some college courses	5.5%
Doctoral degree	4.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	4.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.8%
Post-doctoral training	2.9%
First professional degree	0.8%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Environmental Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 66.6% of Environmental Studies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6,779	66.6%
Men	3,406	33.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6,527	64.1%
Asian	564	5.5%
Hispanic or Latino	1,295	12.7%
Black or African American	283	2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	44	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	13	0.1%
Two or More Races	550	5.4%
Race Unknown	282	2.8%
International Students	627	6.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Environmental Studies Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Environmental Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 Studies Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Environmental Studies. 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	1	2
Bachelor’s	9	12
Master’s	11	11

^{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 Studies Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Environmental Studies 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 Science	03.0104
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.