Best Environmental Science Schools Near Ottumwa, IA (2026)

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

Ottumwa, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $47,656 to $61,227 per year for indexed programs. Ottumwa has a population of about 25,352. Median household income is $56,994 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $94,830 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Ottumwa

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

Iowa City, IA 63.7 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Simpson College

Indianola, IA 64.1 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
64.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,274
Avg net price $21,936/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,656
Out‑of‑state$47,656
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 75.6 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,901
Avg net price $29,127/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 77.6 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, IA 81.0 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,460
Avg net price $23,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 94.3 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 103.3 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 118.1 miles from Ottumwa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,201
Avg net price $32,908/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Ottumwa

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$78,780
Conservation Scientist$69,240
Environmental Engineer$94,830
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$83,000

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.

Ottumwa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,352Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,994Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ottumwa-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Ottumwa, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Ottumwa. The closest is University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA (63.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Coe College (77.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Iowa are: Environmental Engineer ($94,830), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($83,000), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($78,780). Wages for Ottumwa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Coralville instead of Ottumwa?

Coralville, IA is 63.4 miles from Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa an affordable place to study environmental science?

Ottumwa’s median household income of $56,994 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ottumwa while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Ottumwa

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

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 Iowa (2026)