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Best Environmental Policy Schools Near Laurel, MD (2026)
Updated September 7, 2026BLS dataCollege ScorecardOn this page
Laurel, Maryland has 2 accredited schools offering environmental policy programs. Laurel has a population of about 29,594. Median household income is $94,063 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning environmental policy-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $169,060 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Environmental Policy Schools to Laurel
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental policy programs near Laurel, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Laurel city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
Laurel is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Maryland statewide.
Occupation
Median Wage
Source
COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
$108,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$99,320
Compliance Officers
$100,200
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$92,011
Management Analysts
$126,830
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$116,465
Economists
$156,750
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$143,939
Political Scientists
$156,730
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$143,921
Conservation Scientists
$99,360
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$91,240
Natural Sciences Managers
$169,060
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$155,243
Environmental Engineers
$120,580
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$110,725
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.
Laurel at a Glance
Metric
Value
Source
Population
29,594
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income
$94,063
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+
44.5%
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)
108.9 (above U.S. average)
BEA RPP 2024
Other Laurel-Area Cities With Environmental Policy Programs
How many accredited environmental policy schools are near Laurel, MD?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering environmental policy programs near Laurel. The closest is American Public University System in Charles Town, WV (55.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Delaware State University (71.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying environmental policy roles near Laurel?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental policy-related roles near Laurel are: Natural Sciences Managers ($169,060), Economists ($156,750), Political Scientists ($156,730). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Maryland statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Greenbelt instead of Laurel?
Greenbelt, MD is 7.1 miles from Laurel 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 Laurel an affordable place to study environmental policy?
Laurel’s median household income of $94,063 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laurel while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maryland 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.