Best Environmental Science Schools Near Colton, CA (2026)

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

Colton, California has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $8,093 to $76,630 per year for indexed programs. Colton has a population of about 53,798. Median household income is $69,581 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $117,360 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Colton

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

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 5.6 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 8.9 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Redlands

Redlands, CA 9.3 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,690
Avg net price $30,031/yr
Tuition
In‑state$60,878
Out‑of‑state$60,878
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 10.3 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Crafton Hills College

Yucaipa, CA 12.9 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,553
Avg net price $11,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 22.1 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, CA 22.3 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
70.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 13%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $138,687
Avg net price $35,924/yr
Tuition
In‑state$68,613
Out‑of‑state$68,613
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA 22.3 miles from Colton
  • 4 year
71.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $104,736
Avg net price $28,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Colton

Colton is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$104,110Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$97,848
Conservation Scientist$75,900Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$71,335
Environmental Engineer$117,360Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$110,301
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$82,360Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$77,406

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.

Colton at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population53,798Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$69,581Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)106.4 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Colton-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Colton, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Colton. The closest is University of California-Riverside in Riverside, CA (5.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Crafton Hills College (12.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles near Colton are: Environmental Engineer ($117,360), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($104,110), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($82,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Loma Linda instead of Colton?

Loma Linda, CA is 4.3 miles from Colton 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 Colton an affordable place to study environmental science?

Colton’s median household income of $69,581 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Colton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Colton

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

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.

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