Best Environmental Science Schools Near Ellensburg, WA (2026)

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

Ellensburg, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $4,711 to $50,501 per year for indexed programs. Ellensburg has a population of about 18,913. Median household income is $49,888 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $125,460 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Ellensburg

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

Heritage University

Toppenish, WA 43.9 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,416
Avg net price $14,598/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,928
Out‑of‑state$20,928
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Green River College

Auburn, WA 79.4 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,712
Avg net price $13,803/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,711
Out‑of‑state$5,263
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Northwest University

Kirkland, WA 89.4 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
50.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,914
Avg net price $22,288/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,035
Out‑of‑state$36,035
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA 90.4 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $10,163/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Seattle University

Seattle, WA 92.9 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,272
Avg net price $34,662/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Bothell, WA 93.0 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
77.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $12,319/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Cascadia College

Bothell, WA 93.1 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,133
Avg net price $12,281/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 93.8 miles from Ellensburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Ellensburg

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Washington, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$98,300
Conservation Scientist$78,450
Environmental Engineer$125,460
Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist$83,780

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.

Ellensburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,913Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,888Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ellensburg-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Ellensburg, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Ellensburg. The closest is Heritage University in Toppenish, WA (43.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Seattle University (92.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in Washington are: Environmental Engineer ($125,460), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($98,300), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($83,780). Wages for Ellensburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Yakima instead of Ellensburg?

Yakima, WA is 28.2 miles from Ellensburg 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 Ellensburg an affordable place to study environmental science?

Ellensburg’s median household income of $49,888 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ellensburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Ellensburg

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

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 Washington (2026)