Best Environmental Science Schools Near Alexandria, MN (2026)

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

Alexandria, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $6,249 to $45,942 per year for indexed programs. Alexandria has a population of about 14,579. Median household income is $61,558 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $115,750 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Alexandria

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

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 63.2 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,813
Avg net price $13,529/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 123

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, MN 95.1 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
65.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 63%
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,317
Avg net price $24,902/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,170
Out‑of‑state$31,170
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MN 99.9 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,342
Avg net price $15,291/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 121.2 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 121.3 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,764
Avg net price $28,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,226
Out‑of‑state$44,226
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 124.2 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 109

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 128.5 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 137.1 miles from Alexandria
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Alexandria

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$88,000
Conservation Scientist$71,280
Environmental Engineer$115,750
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$68,620

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.

Alexandria at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population14,579Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,558Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Alexandria-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Alexandria, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Alexandria. The closest is St Cloud Technical and Community College in Saint Cloud, MN (61.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Concordia College at Moorhead (95.1 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Minnesota are: Environmental Engineer ($115,750), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($88,000), Conservation Scientist ($71,280). Wages for Alexandria workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Willmar instead of Alexandria?

Willmar, MN is 54.3 miles from Alexandria 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 Alexandria an affordable place to study environmental science?

Alexandria’s median household income of $61,558 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Alexandria while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Alexandria

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

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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