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What Can You Do With a Environmental Policy Degree? Jobs
Key takeaway: Environmental policy is the rules-and-incentives degree: how statutes, regulations, permits, and markets are used to change what firms and agencies do to air, water, land, and energy. Purdue Global sells a bachelor's; American Public University sells a master's. It is not [environmental science](/programs/environmental-science) (the field-and-lab degree) and it is not [sustainability management](/programs/sustainability-management) (the corporate operations degree), though all three show up in the same career ads. It is not an engineering license, not a park-ranger commission, and not a substitute for a master's in [public policy](/programs/public-policy) at agencies that hire MPPs into analyst tracks.
Online versions of this degree are strong on economics, law, and writing. They are weak on field methods. If the job posting wants soil sampling or a 40-hour HAZWOPER card, this is the wrong CIP.
Jobs you can get with a environmental policy degree
| Occupation | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Compliance Officers | $80,730 |
| Management Analysts | $101,860 |
| Economists | $124,720 |
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Management Analysts | 94,100/yr |
| Compliance Officers | 32,700/yr |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 9,200/yr |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | 7,300/yr |
| Environmental Engineers | 2,300/yr |
| Conservation Scientists | 2,100/yr |
| Economists | 1,100/yr |
| Political Scientists | 400/yr |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. Median means half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less.
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health. The national median annual wage was $82,220, with the 10th percentile at $52,520 and the 90th at $140,010 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 93,400 in 2025, projected to grow 6.1 percent through 2035, with 7,300 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035). See how to become an environmental scientist. Compliance Officers. The national median annual wage was $80,730, with the 10th percentile at $48,220 and the 90th at $133,720 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 436,400 in 2025, projected to grow 3.8 percent through 2035, with 32,700 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035). Management Analysts. The national median annual wage was $101,860, with the 10th percentile at $60,640 and the 90th at $171,640 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 1,077,100 in 2025, projected to grow 10.1 percent through 2035, with 94,100 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035). Economists. The national median annual wage was $124,720, with the 10th percentile at $67,360 and the 90th at $238,060 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 18,600 in 2025, projected to grow 4.7 percent through 2035, with 1100 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035).
The jobs this degree does not get you
It is not an engineering license, not a park-ranger commission, and not a substitute for a master’s in public policy at agencies that hire MPPs into analyst tracks.
What the degree level changes
The online bachelor’s in environmental policy is the entry credential in this CIP. The online master’s in environmental policy is the advancement or specialization credential. Compare environmental science, public policy, sustainability management before you enroll if those titles match the job you actually want.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a environmental policy degree?
Common occupations include environmental scientists and specialists, including health, compliance officers, management analysts, economists.
How much do environmental policy majors make?
Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians include $82,220 for environmental scientists and specialists, including health, $80,730 for compliance officers, $101,860 for management analysts, $124,720 for economists. Individual outcomes vary.
Data verified: October 27, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-2035) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
Back to Best Online Environmental Policy Degree Programs (2026)