Best Environmental Science Schools Near Fairmont, WV (2026)

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

Fairmont, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs. Fairmont has a population of about 18,303. Median household income is $60,791 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In West Virginia, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $83,200 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Environmental Science Schools to Fairmont

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

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 15.0 miles from Fairmont
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,939
Avg net price $15,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

West Virginia Wesleyan College

Buckhannon, WV 33.8 miles from Fairmont
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,593
Avg net price $18,083/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Davis & Elkins College

Elkins, WV 41.0 miles from Fairmont
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,411
Avg net price $18,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV 122.9 miles from Fairmont
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
50.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,409
Avg net price $9,597/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Marshall University

Huntington, WV 142.5 miles from Fairmont
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,354
Avg net price $7,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Environmental Science Wages Near Fairmont

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (West Virginia, statewide)
Environmental Scientist and Specialist$82,100
Conservation Scientist$69,910
Environmental Engineer$83,200
Zoologist and Wildlife BiologistN/A

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.

Fairmont at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,303Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,791Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Fairmont-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited environmental science schools are near Fairmont, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near Fairmont. The closest is West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV (15.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pennsylvania Western University (43.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles in West Virginia are: Environmental Engineer ($83,200), Environmental Scientist and Specialist ($82,100), Conservation Scientist ($69,910). Wages for Fairmont workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Morgantown instead of Fairmont?

Morgantown, WV is 15.5 miles from Fairmont 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 Fairmont an affordable place to study environmental science?

Fairmont’s median household income of $60,791 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fairmont while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West 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 Fairmont

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

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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