Best Environmental Science Schools Near Sterling, IL (2026)

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

Sterling, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $57,903 to $68,134 per year for indexed programs. Sterling has a population of about 14,670. Median household income is $52,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% 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 Sterling

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

Knox College

Galesburg, IL 68.8 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
54.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,820
Avg net price $24,595/yr
Tuition
In‑state$57,903
Out‑of‑state$57,903
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 76.3 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,852
Avg net price $22,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Eureka College

Eureka, IL 78.1 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
37.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,641
Avg net price $17,349/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Monmouth College

Monmouth, IL 78.3 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
42.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,110
Avg net price $17,133/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL 82.3 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,756
Avg net price $26,975/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 84.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 96.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL 99.0 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,700
Avg net price $19,125/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Sterling

OccupationMedian 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.

Sterling at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population14,670Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,647Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sterling-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Sterling, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Sterling. The closest is Knox College in Galesburg, IL (68.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Eureka College (78.1 miles). 3 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 Sterling workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Clinton instead of Sterling?

Clinton, IA is 28.3 miles from Sterling 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 Sterling an affordable place to study environmental science?

Sterling’s median household income of $52,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sterling 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 Sterling

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

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 Illinois (2026)