Best Environmental Science Schools Near Columbus, MS (2026)

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

Columbus, Mississippi has 3 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $12,180 to $34,172 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 23,616. Median household income is $40,588 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $91,100 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Columbus

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

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 22.0 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Perkinston, MS 193.2 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,017
Avg net price $6,962/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Columbus

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$57,780
Conservation Scientist$59,510
Environmental Engineer$91,100
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$88,710

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.

Columbus at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,616Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$40,588Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Columbus, MS?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Columbus. The closest is Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS (22.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Samford University (93.5 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Mississippi are: Environmental Engineer ($91,100), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($88,710), Conservation Scientist ($59,510). Wages for Columbus workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Starkville instead of Columbus?

Starkville, MS is 24.2 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study environmental science?

Columbus’s median household income of $40,588 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Columbus

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

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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