Best Environmental Science Schools Near Richmond, KY (2026)

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

Richmond, Kentucky has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $13,502 to $58,821 per year for indexed programs. Richmond has a population of about 35,498. Median household income is $48,223 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kentucky, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $107,520 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Richmond

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

Lexington, KY 24.6 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,025
Avg net price $18,851/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,502
Out‑of‑state$34,140
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 217

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Campbellsville University

Campbellsville, KY 63.6 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,583
Avg net price $19,341/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Bellarmine University

Louisville, KY 84.2 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,069
Avg net price $21,499/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY 90.7 miles from Richmond
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,220
Avg net price $8,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Richmond

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kentucky, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$71,040
Conservation Scientist$71,980
Environmental Engineer$107,520
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$61,950

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.

Richmond at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population35,498Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,223Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+34.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Richmond-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Richmond, KY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Richmond. The closest is University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY (24.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hanover College (93.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Kentucky are: Environmental Engineer ($107,520), Conservation Scientist ($71,980), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($71,040). Wages for Richmond workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Nicholasville instead of Richmond?

Nicholasville, KY is 18.9 miles from Richmond 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 Richmond an affordable place to study environmental science?

Richmond’s median household income of $48,223 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Richmond while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kentucky 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 Richmond

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

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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