Best Environmental Policy Schools Near Buffalo, NY (2026)

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

Buffalo, New York is home to about 276,397 residents. Median household income is $48,050 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, the top-earning environmental policy-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $139,570 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Policy Schools to Buffalo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental policy programs near Buffalo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Buffalo 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 Buffalo. 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

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY 137.3 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,763
Avg net price $18,952/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,303
Out‑of‑state$22,263
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

SUNY Morrisville

Morrisville, NY 162.4 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
56.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,295
Avg net price $15,939/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,825
Out‑of‑state$19,245
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill

Cobleskill, NY 221.1 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,030
Avg net price $18,701/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,768
Out‑of‑state$18,678
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science

Paul Smiths, NY 252.9 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
35.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,145
Avg net price $26,683/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Marist University

Poughkeepsie, NY 263.9 miles from Buffalo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
72.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,819
Avg net price $41,544/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,750
Out‑of‑state$47,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Policy Wages Near Buffalo

Buffalo is part of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area (BLS area code 15380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $76,700 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $80,063
Compliance Officers $82,450 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $86,065
Management Analysts $84,710 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $88,424
Economists $136,660 NY statewide $142,651
Political Scientists N/A NY statewide –
Conservation Scientists $76,990 NY statewide $80,365
Natural Sciences Managers $139,570 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $145,689
Environmental Engineers $95,740 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $99,937

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.

Buffalo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 276,397 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,050 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 30.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Buffalo-Area Cities With Environmental Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental policy-related roles near Buffalo are: Natural Sciences Managers ($139,570), Economists ($136,660), Environmental Engineers ($95,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in North Tonawanda instead of Buffalo?

North Tonawanda, NY is 10.0 miles from Buffalo 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 Buffalo an affordable place to study environmental policy?

Buffalo’s median household income of $48,050 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Buffalo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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.

Learn More About Environmental Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Buffalo

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

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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