by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 16 U.S. colleges awarded 105 degrees and certificates in Environmental Education. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 96% of graduates. College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Environmental Education Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $50,000 one year after completing, rising to $58,727 after four years.
A major in Environmental Education covers Environmental Education. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Teach Environmental Education At Various Educational Levels As A K-12 Classroom Educator. Includes Instruction In Foundations Of Environmental Education, Instructional Methods, And Related Content Knowledge.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, environmental education draws strong interest, with 105 degrees awarded annually. 16 colleges award environmental education degrees, an average of 7 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 19.
By level, the 105 awards include 4 bachelor’s degrees and 101 master’s degrees.
Women earned 86% of environmental education degrees and certificates in the latest year (90 of 105). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (87) and Hispanic or Latino (11), and international students earned 1.
College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Environmental Education Schools ranking, including 4 for bachelor’s degrees and 5 for master’s degrees. It also ranks environmental education schools within 2 states. In all, 16 colleges offer environmental education programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Environmental Education Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common environmental education credential is the master’s degree: 101 of the 105 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to environmental education call most for Speaking, Instructing and Learning Strategies, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Psychology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Speech Clarity and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an environmental education degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 4 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 101 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to environmental education, at 45.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 45.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 35.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7.0% |
| Master’s degree | 6.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Environmental Education, with an average median salary of $83,682; the strongest outlook belongs to Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, at 4.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Educator, Visual Education Teacher, Educational Teaching Instructor and Educational Leadership Professor.
The occupation related to environmental education with the most projected jobs is Education Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,441,246.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 692,039 | -1.4% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 571,954 | 1.8% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 84,106 | 4.9% |
Environmental Education graduates earn a median $50,000 one year after completing their program, $58,727 after four years and $56,439 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $50,000 |
| 4 years | $58,727 |
| 5 years | $56,439 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to environmental education, with a median salary of $98,329.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $83,105 |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $77,927 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,366 |
Environmental Education has 37 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 40,290 degrees a year; the largest are Physical Education Teaching and Coaching (7,130), Reading Teacher Education (6,129) and Music Teacher Education (4,149). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 7,130 |
| Reading Teacher Education | 6,129 |
| Music Teacher Education | 4,149 |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 3,405 |
| English/Language Arts Teacher Education | 2,933 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other | 2,470 |
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 2,020 |
| Art Teacher Education | 1,898 |
| Health Teacher Education | 1,560 |
| Agricultural Teacher Education | 1,054 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
