Best Environmental Science Schools Near Odessa, TX (2026)

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

Odessa, Texas is home to about 114,080 residents. Median household income is $73,030 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.3% 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 Odessa

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

Lubbock Christian University

Lubbock, TX 119.3 miles from Odessa
  • 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

#2

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 120.6 miles from Odessa
  • 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

#3

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, TX 159.1 miles from Odessa
  • 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 163.1 miles from Odessa
  • 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

West Texas A & M University

Canyon, TX 215.6 miles from Odessa
  • 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

#6

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 242.5 miles from Odessa
  • 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

#7

The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX 244.5 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,923
Avg net price $9,403/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 272.1 miles from Odessa
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,131
Avg net price $10,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Odessa

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.

Odessa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population114,080Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,030Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Odessa-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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 Odessa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Midland instead of Odessa?

Midland, TX is 16.8 miles from Odessa 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 Odessa an affordable place to study environmental science?

Odessa’s median household income of $73,030 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Odessa 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 Odessa

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

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)