La Crosse, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs, with tuition ranging from $19,475 to $34,022 per year for indexed programs. La Crosse has a population of about 51,791. Median household income is $53,803 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning environmental science-related role is Environmental Engineer at a median $89,990 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Environmental Science Schools to La Crosse
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer environmental science programs near La Crosse, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from La Crosse 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 La Crosse.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$58,084
Avg net price
$17,490/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 77%
- Programs offered: 72
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,760
Avg net price
$16,032/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 80%
- Programs offered: 65
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$52,021
Avg net price
$14,559/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 106
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$54,458
Avg net price
$14,054/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,728
Avg net price
$26,113/yr
TuitionIn‑state$35,860
Out‑of‑state$35,860
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$73,792
Avg net price
$17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 246
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,356
Avg net price
$14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 78%
- Programs offered: 85
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
64%
Graduation rate
77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$55,789
Avg net price
$23,401/yr
TuitionIn‑state$56,982
Out‑of‑state$56,982
Key stats- Retention rate: 87%
- Programs offered: 41
Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Wisconsin schools on the Wisconsin environmental science page.
Environmental Science Wages Near La Crosse
La Crosse is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area (BLS area code 29100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist | $74,990 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $81,688 |
| Conservation Scientist | $79,440 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $86,536 |
| Environmental Engineer | $89,990 | WI statewide | $98,028 |
| Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist | $78,850 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $85,893 |
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.
La Crosse at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 51,791 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $53,803 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 34.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.8 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other La Crosse-Area Cities With Environmental Science Programs
- Winona, MN – 27.0 mi away (30,208 pop)
- Rochester, MN – 63.6 mi away (114,976 pop)
- Eau Claire, WI – 70.1 mi away (106,681 pop)
- Wisconsin Rapids, WI – 79.9 mi away (28,406 pop)
- Austin, MN – 87.8 mi away (25,105 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited environmental science schools are near La Crosse, WI?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering environmental science programs near La Crosse. The closest is Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN (60.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Dubuque (95.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying environmental science roles near La Crosse?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying environmental science-related roles near La Crosse are: Environmental Engineer ($89,990), Conservation Scientist ($79,440), Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist ($78,850). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Winona instead of La Crosse?
Winona, MN is 27.0 miles from La Crosse 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 La Crosse an affordable place to study environmental science?
La Crosse’s median household income of $53,803 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Crosse while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 La Crosse
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for La Crosse:
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- Public Health programs in La Crosse, WI
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- Criminal Justice programs in La Crosse, WI
- Nursing programs in La Crosse, WI
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- Accounting programs in La Crosse, WI
- Healthcare Administration programs in La Crosse, WI
- Social Work programs in La Crosse, WI
- Counseling programs in La Crosse, WI
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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