2025 Best Environmental Studies Schools in California
16
Colleges in California
1,625
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
If you pursue a degree in
environmental studies, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #87 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
College Factual looked at 16 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Environmental Studies Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,625 degrees in environmental studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Environmental Studies School
The ecosystem studies program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Environmental Studies rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for environmental studies schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Pick Your Environmental Studies Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Environmental Studies Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat.
Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.
Best Schools for Environmental Studies in California
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the ecosystem studies degree levels they offer.
10 Top California Schools in Ecosystem Studies
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In CA
312
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
University of California - Berkeley is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in environmental studies. UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were about 312 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of California - Berkeley
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
6th
Most Popular In CA
90
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
University of California - Davis is a good choice for students interested in a degree in environmental studies. Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #55 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.
There were approximately 90 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of California - Davis
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation
Program Name
Develop a broad-based interdisciplinary skill set to solve complex environmental problems like climate change, alternative energy and sustainability with a specialized online degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BS in Environmental Science - Natural Resources & Conservation from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In CA
318
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
It's difficult to beat University of California - Santa Barbara if you want to pursue a degree in environmental studies. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #47 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were approximately 318 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of California - Santa Barbara
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
13th
Most Popular In CA
35
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in environmental studies. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were about 35 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of Southern California
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In CA
137
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
UC Santa Cruz is a large public university located in the small city of Santa Cruz. A Best Colleges rank of #91 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Santa Cruz is a great university overall.
There were approximately 137 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Santa Cruz in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of California - Santa Cruz
Located in the medium-sized city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #53 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means SCU is a great university overall.
There were roughly 28 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at SCU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from Santa Clara University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
12th
Most Popular In CA
50
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #73 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were roughly 50 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of California - Irvine
Bachelors
Degree Type
BA in Anthropology - Environmental Sustainability
Program Name
Help people live more efficiently and effectively in their environment with this experiential online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BA in Anthropology - Environmental Sustainability from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
17th
Most Popular In CA
45
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Arcata. This university ranks 125th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 45 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at Humboldt State University in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from Humboldt State University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In CA
78
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
SDSU is a very large public university located in the large city of San Diego. This university ranks 25th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 78 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at SDSU in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from San Diego State University
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
10th
Most Popular In CA
48
Ecosystem Studies Degrees Awarded
USFCA is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of San Francisco. This university ranks 21st out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 48 environmental studies students who graduated with this degree at USFCA in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in environmental studies from University of San Francisco
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