Best Environmental Science Schools Near Winchester, VA (2026)

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

Winchester, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $27,100 to $39,344 per year for indexed programs. Winchester has a population of about 27,981. Median household income is $64,648 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Virginia, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $104,940 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Winchester

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

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

Sort:
#1

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA 52.2 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,343
Avg net price $17,915/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Eastern Mennonite University

Harrisonburg, VA 61.6 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,869
Avg net price $24,588/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Bridgewater College

Bridgewater, VA 69.6 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,453
Avg net price $17,800/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,090
Out‑of‑state$16,090
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 31

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

#4

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA 80.6 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,863
Avg net price $21,565/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Sweet Briar College

Sweet Briar, VA 122.0 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
42.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,943
Avg net price $17,758/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Longwood University

Farmville, VA 130.1 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,347
Avg net price $19,066/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Randolph College

Lynchburg, VA 131.6 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,409
Avg net price $15,921/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Lynchburg

Lynchburg, VA 134.2 miles from Winchester
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,380
Avg net price $22,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Winchester

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Virginia, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$82,230
Conservation Scientist$77,380
Environmental Engineer$104,940
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$72,340

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.

Winchester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population27,981Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,648Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Winchester-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Winchester, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Winchester. The closest is American Public University System in Charles Town, WV (18.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wilson College (60.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Virginia are: Environmental Engineer ($104,940), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($82,230), Conservation Scientist ($77,380). Wages for Winchester workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Charles Town instead of Winchester?

Charles Town, WV is 18.1 miles from Winchester 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 Winchester an affordable place to study environmental science?

Winchester’s median household income of $64,648 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Winchester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Winchester

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

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 Virginia (2026)