Freeport, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $35,860 to $50,903 per year for indexed programs. Freeport has a population of about 23,636. Median household income is $48,181 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $107,990 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Environmental Science Schools to Freeport
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental science programs near Freeport, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Freeport 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Freeport.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,756
Avg net price
$26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
71%
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$66,099
Avg net price
$17,028/yr
TuitionIn‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Key stats- Retention rate: 81%
- Programs offered: 85
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,234
Avg net price
$14,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 57%
- Programs offered: 56
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
71%
Graduation rate
68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,820
Avg net price
$24,595/yr
TuitionIn‑state$57,903
Out‑of‑state$57,903
Key stats- Retention rate: 82%
- Programs offered: 41
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$89,363
Avg net price
$29,167/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 167
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,530
Avg net price
$36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 168
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,700
Avg net price
$19,125/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 80%
- Programs offered: 45
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,751
Avg net price
$30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 166
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Illinois schools on the Illinois environmental science page.
Environmental Science Wages Near Freeport
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide) |
|---|
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist | $81,590 |
| Conservation Scientist | $69,590 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,990 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $79,780 |
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.
Freeport at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 23,636 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $48,181 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 20.0% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Freeport-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs
- Rockford, IL – 29.3 mi away (286,727 pop)
- Machesney Park, IL – 31.6 mi away (22,873 pop)
- Loves Park, IL – 32.7 mi away (23,413 pop)
- Sterling, IL – 34.0 mi away (27,961 pop)
- Beloit, WI – 35.4 mi away (63,470 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited environmental science schools are near Freeport, IL?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Freeport. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Platteville in Platteville, WI (53.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (59.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying environmental science roles in Illinois?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Illinois are: Environmental Engineer ($107,990), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($81,590), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($79,780). Wages for Freeport workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Rockford instead of Freeport?
Rockford, IL is 29.3 miles from Freeport 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 Freeport an affordable place to study environmental science?
Freeport’s median household income of $48,181 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Freeport while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Freeport
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- Public Health programs in Freeport, IL
- Human Resources programs in Freeport, IL
- Project Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Special Education programs in Freeport, IL
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- Marketing programs in Freeport, IL
- Finance programs in Freeport, IL
- Kinesiology programs in Freeport, IL
- Sports Management programs in Freeport, IL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Elementary Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Biology programs in Freeport, IL
- Communications programs in Freeport, IL
- Graphic Design programs in Freeport, IL
- Human Services programs in Freeport, IL
- MBA programs in Freeport, IL
- Criminal Justice programs in Freeport, IL
- Nursing programs in Freeport, IL
- Business Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Computer Science programs in Freeport, IL
- Psychology programs in Freeport, IL
- Education programs in Freeport, IL
- Engineering programs in Freeport, IL
- Technology programs in Freeport, IL
- Liberal Arts programs in Freeport, IL
- Healthcare programs in Freeport, IL
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- Accounting programs in Freeport, IL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Freeport, IL
- Social Work programs in Freeport, IL
- Counseling programs in Freeport, IL
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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