BestOnlineCollege.org is an advertising-supported website. Many of the school and program listings that appear on this site are from partners who compensate us, and this compensation may affect how, where, and in what order listings appear (such as featured placements). This compensation does not influence our editorial content, evaluations, or rankings, which are determined independently using publicly available data. We do not review or feature every school or program available in the marketplace. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased information so you can make informed decisions. Read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
Environmental Science Degree Jobs & Salaries (2026)
Key takeaway: An environmental science degree leads into field, lab, and reporting work: environmental scientist and specialist roles, conservation science, and wildlife biology. The occupation most closely tied to the degree -- environmental scientists and specialists, including health -- carries a median annual wage of $82,220, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians, with 8,500 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). The bachelor's is the working credential for that occupation. Environmental engineering (median $107,110) is listed for comparison only; it typically requires an engineering degree, not a BS in environmental science.
Jobs you can get with an environmental science degree
Environmental science work splits along a line that matters more than any job title: whether you are measuring and interpreting environmental systems, or designing engineered controls. The occupations below cover both, and only the first group is a direct environmental science degree path.
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist | 8,500/yr |
| Environmental Engineer | 3,000/yr |
| Conservation Scientist | 2,500/yr |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | 1,400/yr |
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Projected growth, 2024-34 | Openings per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 | 4.4% | 8,500 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 | 3.9% | 3,000 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $76,780 | 1.6% | 1,400 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 | 3.4% | 2,500 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians; BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34. Environmental engineer is included for comparison; that occupation typically requires an engineering degree.
Environmental scientist and specialist, including health. This is the core destination for the degree. The work is site assessments, air-water-and-soil sampling, monitoring, GIS, permit support, environmental review documents, and the technical reports that agencies and clients file. Employers include consulting firms, state and federal environmental agencies, local government, industry EHS groups, and some health departments. Employment stood at 89,250 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The wage spread is wide: the 10th percentile was $52,520, the 25th percentile $64,490, the 75th percentile $107,970, and the 90th percentile $140,010 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A bachelor’s in environmental science or a closely related natural science is the typical entry credential; see how to become an environmental scientist for the path.
Environmental engineer. Environmental engineers design systems that control, treat, or prevent pollution – treatment processes, remediation approaches, and engineered controls – rather than only measuring what is already in the environment. Median annual wage was $107,110, with 38,340 jobs nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The 10th percentile was $69,990, the 25th percentile $83,570, the 75th percentile $134,420, and the 90th percentile $162,220 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This occupation typically requires an engineering degree, often from an ABET-accredited program, and often professional engineering licensure. A BS in environmental science is adjacent subject matter, not an equivalent credential. If this is the target, see the engineering program guide.
Zoologist and wildlife biologist. Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and habitats, running surveys, analyzing how land use and development affect species, and writing the reports that inform conservation and land-management decisions. Employment stood at 18,120 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The 10th percentile was $49,100, the 25th percentile $61,180, the 75th percentile $96,100, and the 90th percentile $126,440 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Projected growth is 1.6 percent, with 1,400 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). Entry-level and technician-track positions can be open to bachelor’s graduates; permanent research and project-lead roles usually require a master’s. A biology major with ecology and organismal coursework is an equally common undergraduate path into this occupation.
Conservation scientist. Conservation scientists manage land, forests, rangeland, and related natural resources, working with landowners, agencies, and land trusts on how land is used and protected. Employment stood at 25,950 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The 10th percentile was $47,550, the 25th percentile $57,700, the 75th percentile $91,560, and the 90th percentile $110,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Projected growth is 3.4 percent, with 2,500 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34). An environmental science bachelor’s with ecology, soils, and GIS is a typical undergraduate match; some roles prefer forestry or natural-resources titles.
What the degree level changes
Environmental science is more bachelor’s-friendly than many science majors, and it is worth being precise about that.
The bachelor’s in environmental science is the working credential for environmental scientists and specialists. It is also a common undergraduate route into conservation-scientist work and into technician-track wildlife roles. Employers hire for GIS, sampling, field methods, and the ability to write a defensible report.
A master’s in environmental science is not required for the core environmental-scientist occupation. It is useful for specialization – hydrology, GIS, ecology, environmental chemistry – and for some senior scientist, research, and agency roles. Permanent zoologist and wildlife biologist titles more often expect it. Do not treat a master’s as a way around a weak undergraduate science core.
One more thing worth saying plainly: none of these science occupations is professional engineering practice, and the environmental science degree does not qualify you to sit for engineering licensure. If design of treatment systems is the goal, the route is an engineering degree, not this one.
Corporate sustainability and ESG reporting roles overlap the subject matter but are a sustainability management path more than a field-science path. Environmental health work inside health departments overlaps public health.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with an environmental science degree?
The core destination is environmental scientist and specialist, including health. Related occupations include conservation scientist and zoologist and wildlife biologist. Environmental engineer is a related occupation in subject matter but typically requires an engineering degree. Day-to-day titles include staff scientist, environmental specialist, field scientist, GIS analyst, and environmental technician.
How much do environmental science majors make?
Among the occupations tied to this degree, Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians report $82,220 for environmental scientists and specialists, $73,010 for conservation scientists, $76,780 for zoologists and wildlife biologists, and $107,110 for environmental engineers. The engineering figure describes people with engineering degrees. Actual pay is shaped by employer type, geography, and experience.
Do you need a master’s in environmental science?
Not for most environmental scientist and specialist roles. A master’s is more often used for specialization and advancement, and it is more often expected for permanent wildlife-biologist titles. Experience, GIS, and field skills carry substantial weight in consulting and agency hiring.
Can you become an environmental engineer with an environmental science degree?
No. Environmental engineering typically requires an engineering degree, often ABET-accredited, and often professional engineering licensure. A BS in environmental science is adjacent, not equivalent.
Is an environmental science degree worth it?
It is worth it if you want field, lab, GIS, and technical-reporting work and you choose a science-heavy bachelor’s with real labs and field methods. It is the wrong tool if you want engineering design or corporate sustainability management. The is an environmental science degree worth it page works through the cost side of that decision.
Keep exploring
- Start at the online environmental science degree hub to compare programs and formats.
- Compare levels: bachelor’s in environmental science and master’s in environmental science.
- Find programs near you on the environmental science programs by state index.
- Related fields worth comparing: biology, sustainability management, and public health.
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.