Best Environmental Science Schools Near Saint Cloud, MN (2026)

Saint Cloud, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $6,249 to $19,543 per year for indexed programs. Saint Cloud has a population of about 69,926. Median household income is $61,112 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% 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 Saint Cloud

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental science programs near Saint Cloud, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score โ€” U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 1.6 miles from Saint Cloud
  • 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

St Cloud Technical and Community College

Saint Cloud, MN 3.1 miles from Saint Cloud
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,874
Avg net price $9,635/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Environmental Science Wages Near Saint Cloud

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.


Saint Cloud at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,926Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,112Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)87.6 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Saint Cloud-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Saint Cloud, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Saint Cloud. The closest is Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, MN (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Minneapolis Community and Technical College (58.0 miles). 5 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 Saint Cloud workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Monticello instead of Saint Cloud?

Monticello, MN is 24.4 miles from Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud an affordable place to study environmental science?

Saint Cloud’s median household income of $61,112 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Saint Cloud 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 Saint Cloud

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.