Best Environmental Policy Schools Near Decatur, AL (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Decatur, Alabama is home to about 57,974 residents. In Alabama, the top-earning environmental policy-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $133,470 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Policy Schools to Decatur

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental policy programs near Decatur, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Decatur city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Decatur. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Auburn University

Auburn, AL 161.5 miles from Decatur
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
76.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 46%
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,337
Avg net price $24,323/yr
Tuition
In‑state$12,890
Out‑of‑state$34,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 151

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Alabama schools on the Alabama environmental policy page.

Environmental Policy Wages Near Decatur

Decatur is part of the Decatur, AL metro area (BLS area code 19460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Alabama statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $83,120 Decatur, AL $95,321
Compliance Officers $72,550 Decatur, AL $83,200
Management Analysts $101,500 Decatur, AL $116,399
Economists $129,960 AL statewide $149,037
Political Scientists N/A AL statewide –
Conservation Scientists $77,000 AL statewide $88,303
Natural Sciences Managers $133,470 AL statewide $153,062
Environmental Engineers $129,290 Decatur, AL $148,268

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Decatur at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Decatur-Area Cities With Environmental Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying environmental policy roles near Decatur?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental policy-related roles near Decatur are: Natural Sciences Managers ($133,470), Economists ($129,960), Environmental Engineers ($129,290). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Alabama statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Athens instead of Decatur?

Athens, AL is 14.7 miles from Decatur and has its own set of local environmental policy programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Environmental Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Decatur

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Decatur:

Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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