Best Environmental Science Schools Near Lansing, MI (2026)

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

Lansing, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs. Lansing has a population of about 112,546. Median household income is $52,170 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $97,260 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Lansing

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

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 4.4 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

The University of Olivet

Olivet, MI 26.4 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,907
Avg net price $21,393/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Albion College

Albion, MI 33.8 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,799
Avg net price $14,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 38.8 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,898
Avg net price $7,761/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 51.7 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,648
Avg net price $13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 206

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 54.2 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,375
Avg net price $22,992/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,350
Out‑of‑state$39,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 61.6 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Adrian College

Adrian, MI 61.8 miles from Lansing
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,504
Avg net price $25,368/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Lansing

Lansing is part of the Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area (BLS area code 29620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$85,180Lansing-East Lansing, MI$89,663
Conservation Scientist$67,580Lansing-East Lansing, MI$71,137
Environmental Engineer$97,260Lansing-East Lansing, MI$102,379
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$63,520Lansing-East Lansing, MI$66,863

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.

Lansing at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population112,546Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,170Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lansing-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Lansing, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Lansing. The closest is Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI (4.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (51.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying environmental science roles near Lansing?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles near Lansing are: Environmental Engineer ($97,260), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($85,180), Conservation Scientist ($67,580). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Lansing instead of Lansing?

East Lansing, MI is 4.5 miles from Lansing 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 Lansing an affordable place to study environmental science?

Lansing’s median household income of $52,170 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lansing while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Lansing

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

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 Michigan (2026)