Best Environmental Science Schools Near Big Spring, TX (2026)

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

Big Spring, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering environmental science programs. Big Spring has a population of about 24,769. Median household income is $70,532 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $123,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Big Spring

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

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 95.7 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lubbock Christian University

Lubbock, TX 96.1 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,787
Avg net price $24,456/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, TX 104.6 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,736
Avg net price $26,182/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX 135.4 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,838
Avg net price $20,590/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 46%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 190.6 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,040
Avg net price $20,783/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

West Texas A & M University

Canyon, TX 191.2 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,741
Avg net price $19,487/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX 242.1 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,424
Avg net price $36,660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Concordia University Texas

Austin, TX 249.1 miles from Big Spring
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,883
Avg net price $23,131/yr
Tuition
In‑state$23,500
Out‑of‑state$23,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Big Spring

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Texas, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$92,000
Conservation Scientist$68,620
Environmental Engineer$123,060
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$49,100

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.

Big Spring at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,769Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,532Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+14.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Big Spring-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Big Spring, TX?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Big Spring. The closest is Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX (95.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lubbock Christian University (96.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Texas are: Environmental Engineer ($123,060), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($92,000), Conservation Scientist ($68,620). Wages for Big Spring workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Midland instead of Big Spring?

Midland, TX is 39.7 miles from Big Spring 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 Big Spring an affordable place to study environmental science?

Big Spring’s median household income of $70,532 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Big Spring while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Big Spring

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

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 Texas (2026)