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Best Environmental Policy Schools Near Independence, KY (2026)
Updated September 7, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Independence, Kentucky is home to about 29,024 residents. Median household income is $98,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, the top-earning environmental policy-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $164,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Environmental Policy Schools to Independence
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental policy programs near Independence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Independence city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
Independence is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (BLS area code 17140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kentucky statewide.
Occupation
Median Wage
Source
COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
$67,380
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$70,629
Compliance Officers
$79,310
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$83,134
Management Analysts
$97,360
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$102,055
Economists
$120,740
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$126,562
Political Scientists
N/A
KY statewide
–
Conservation Scientists
$67,080
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$70,314
Natural Sciences Managers
$164,300
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$172,222
Environmental Engineers
$113,960
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
$119,455
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.
Independence at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
29,024
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$98,653
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
37.3%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)
95.4 (below U.S. average)
BEA RPP 2024
Other Independence-Area Cities With Environmental Policy Programs
What are the highest-paying environmental policy roles near Independence?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental policy-related roles near Independence are: Natural Sciences Managers ($164,300), Economists ($120,740), Environmental Engineers ($113,960). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kentucky statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Florence instead of Independence?
Florence, KY is 5.9 miles from Independence 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.
Is Independence an affordable place to study environmental policy?
Independence’s median household income of $98,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Independence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
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.