Best Environmental Science Schools Near Waycross, GA (2026)

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

Waycross, Georgia has 3 accredited schools offering environmental science programs. Waycross has a population of about 13,813. Median household income is $37,398 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Georgia, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $96,530 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Waycross

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

Thomas University

Thomasville, GA 98.9 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,716
Avg net price $18,499/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, GA 139.1 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,140
Avg net price $20,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Columbus State University

Columbus, GA 175.9 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,544
Avg net price $13,115/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Georgia

Athens, GA 198.7 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
88.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,726
Avg net price $13,936/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 241

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA 211.7 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,384
Avg net price $15,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Emory University

Atlanta, GA 211.9 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,137
Avg net price $22,585/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Spelman College

Atlanta, GA 212.1 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,993
Avg net price $38,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA 213.1 miles from Waycross
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
95.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $102,772
Avg net price $12,116/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 64

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Waycross

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Georgia, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$85,710
Conservation Scientist$69,240
Environmental Engineer$96,530
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$66,210

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.

Waycross at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population13,813Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$37,398Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Waycross-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Waycross, GA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Waycross. The closest is Florida Gateway College in Lake City, FL (72.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Thomas University (98.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying environmental science roles in Georgia?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Georgia are: Environmental Engineer ($96,530), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($85,710), Conservation Scientist ($69,240). Wages for Waycross workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Brunswick instead of Waycross?

Brunswick, GA is 52.4 miles from Waycross 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 Waycross an affordable place to study environmental science?

Waycross’s median household income of $37,398 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waycross while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Georgia 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 Waycross

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

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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