Best Environmental Science Schools Near Norton Shores, MI

Norton Shores, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $14,760 to $54,222 per year for indexed programs. Norton Shores has a population of about 25,000. Median household income is $73,390 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $105,080 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Environmental Science Schools to Norton Shores

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

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 22.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Hope College

Holland, MI 27.0 miles from Norton Shores
  • 4 year
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,427
Avg net price $27,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 37.2 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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

#4

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 79.9 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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

#5

The University of Olivet

Olivet, MI 83.7 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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

#6

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 94.6 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Albion College

Albion, MI 99.3 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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

#8

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 116.5 miles from Norton Shores
  • 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

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


Environmental Science Wages Near Norton Shores

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Michigan, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$76,080
Conservation Scientist$63,500
Environmental Engineer$105,080
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$79,150

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.


Norton Shores at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,000Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,390Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+33.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Norton Shores-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Norton Shores, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Norton Shores. The closest is Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI (22.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (82.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Michigan are: Environmental Engineer ($105,080), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($79,150), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($76,080). Wages for Norton Shores workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Muskegon instead of Norton Shores?

Muskegon, MI is 4.6 miles from Norton Shores 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 Norton Shores an affordable place to study environmental science?

Norton Shores’s median household income of $73,390 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Norton Shores 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 Norton Shores

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

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.