Best Environmental Science Schools Near Maricopa, AZ (2026)

Updated September 1, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Maricopa, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs. Maricopa has a population of about 62,986. Median household income is $94,208 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $94,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Maricopa

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

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 25.3 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,034
Avg net price $12,132/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Rio Salado College

Tempe, AZ 25.6 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,015
Avg net price $8,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 26.2 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
Avg net price $14,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 305

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 30.5 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,870
Avg net price $12,055/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, AZ 33.0 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,186
Avg net price $22,472/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 33.1 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,905
Avg net price $13,336/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 83.6 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,979
Avg net price $16,674/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ 149.6 miles from Maricopa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,384
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 176

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Maricopa

Maricopa is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$80,600Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$78,025
Conservation Scientist$70,300Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$68,054
Environmental Engineer$94,470Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$91,452
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$67,970Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$65,799

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.

Maricopa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population62,986Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$94,208Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)103.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Maricopa-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Maricopa, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Maricopa. The closest is Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, AZ (21.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Phoenix College (30.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying environmental science roles near Maricopa?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles near Maricopa are: Environmental Engineer ($94,470), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($80,600), Conservation Scientist ($70,300). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Casa Grande instead of Maricopa?

Casa Grande, AZ is 17.5 miles from Maricopa and has its own set of local environmental science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Maricopa an affordable place to study environmental science?

Maricopa’s median household income of $94,208 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Maricopa while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona 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 Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Maricopa

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

Data verified: September 1, 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.

Back to Best Environmental Science Schools in Arizona (2026)