Georgia·Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations·SOC 19-4042

Best Environmental Science programs in Georgia, ranked by enrollment

Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist.

33 schools in Georgia run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,525 people a year. The job pays a median of $48,050 in Georgia across about 1,110 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledSanitarianEnvironmental Health Officer (EHO)Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech)Soil Lab Technician (Soil Laboratory Technician)Air AnalystSmoke TesterSoil AnalystBiotechnician
Graduates / yr
1,525
in Georgia
Median pay · Georgia
$48,050
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
1,110
people employed
Schools
33
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
50%
across those schools
Median net price
$20,410
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Georgia that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

5 programs in Georgia that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Georgia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Georgia page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 41.9999In Georgia
1,256
82.4%
16$49,936$22,636
2
CIP 03.0104In Georgia
120
7.9%
13$34,020$23,032
3
CIP 30.3301In Georgia
115
7.5%
6$37,223$20,968
4
CIP 30.4401In Georgia
33
2.2%
2
5
CIP 15.0506In Georgia
1
0.1%
1$36,407$10,250

Top 25 schools in Georgia

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 4 of the 33 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Chattahoochee Technical College
Marietta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
290Science Technologies/Technicians, Other38%
2Central Georgia Technical College
Warner Robins, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
238Science Technologies/Technicians, Other47%
3Augusta Technical College
Augusta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
174Science Technologies/Technicians, Other31%
4Athens Technical College
Athens, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
160Science Technologies/Technicians, Other51%
5University of Georgia
Athens, GA Public · 3 feeder programs
109Sustainability Studies$49,78990%38%
6Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Valdosta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
97Science Technologies/Technicians, Other50%
7Savannah Technical College
Savannah, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
44Science Technologies/Technicians, Other42%
8Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Clarkston, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
42Science Technologies/Technicians, Other44%
9Southern Crescent Technical College
Griffin, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
38Science Technologies/Technicians, Other58%
10Lanier Technical College
Gainesville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
37Science Technologies/Technicians, Other34%
11Ogeechee Technical College
Statesboro, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
35Science Technologies/Technicians, Other43%
12Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
34Environmental Science52%69%
13Gwinnett Technical College
Lawrenceville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
33Science Technologies/Technicians, Other32%
14Atlanta Technical College
Atlanta, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
32Science Technologies/Technicians, Other49%
15Southern Regional Technical College
Thomasville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
29Science Technologies/Technicians, Other31%
16Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Atlanta, GA Public · 2 feeder programs
24Sustainability Studies94%14%
17Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
19Sustainability Studies69%$44,90283%
18Berry College
Mount Berry, GA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
17Environmental Science69%$20,10864%
19Georgia College & State University
Milledgeville, GA Public · 2 feeder programs
16Environmental Science$35,95264%78%
20Georgia Gwinnett College
Lawrenceville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
12Environmental Science21%95%
21Columbus State University
Columbus, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
9Environmental Science42%99%
22Dalton State College
Dalton, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
6Geography and Environmental Studies25%
23Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
5Environmental Science55%88%
24Oconee Fall Line Technical College
Sandersville, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
4Science Technologies/Technicians, Other65%
25Spelman College
Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
4Environmental Science78%$35,13225%

All 33 schools in Georgia

Every school in Georgia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Georgia that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Chattahoochee Technical CollegeMariettaPublic2901
Central Georgia Technical CollegeWarner RobinsPublic2381
Augusta Technical CollegeAugustaPublic1741
Athens Technical CollegeAthensPublic1601
University of GeorgiaAthensPublic1093
Wiregrass Georgia Technical CollegeValdostaPublic971
Savannah Technical CollegeSavannahPublic441
Georgia Piedmont Technical CollegeClarkstonPublic421
Southern Crescent Technical CollegeGriffinPublic381
Lanier Technical CollegeGainesvillePublic371
Ogeechee Technical CollegeStatesboroPublic351
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesawPublic341
Gwinnett Technical CollegeLawrencevillePublic331
Atlanta Technical CollegeAtlantaPublic321
Southern Regional Technical CollegeThomasvillePublic291

What environmental science and protection technicians, including health earn in Georgia

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Georgia
$48,050
Mean annual
$52,770
Jobs in state
1,110
What the range looks like
10th pct$37,020Median$48,05090th pct$73,900
Versus the national median
-12.8%

U.S. median $55,090. Georgia pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
1.02×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in Georgia

Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC
$77,860median
90 jobs
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
$48,050median
630 jobs
Savannah, GA
$48,080median
50 jobs
Albany, GA
$39,430median
30 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+4.0%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
5,600
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
1,600
40,400 → 42,100
Typical entry education
Associate's degree

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health page.

How to become a Environmental Science

Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0
Typical entry education
Associate's degree

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoring

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Georgia

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 11 majors mapped to Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health11 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 03.0104Environmental Science
  • 15.0506Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician
  • 15.0507Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician
  • 15.0508Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology/Technician
  • 26.1006Environmental Toxicology
  • 30.3301Sustainability Studies
  • 30.4101Environmental Geosciences
  • 30.4401Geography and Environmental Studies
  • 40.0509Environmental Chemistry
  • 41.0399Physical Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
  • 41.9999Science Technologies/Technicians, Other

Common questions

Answers for people weighing environmental science and protection technicians, including health programs in Georgia.

What degree do you need to become an Environmental Science?+

Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Science Technologies/Technicians, Other, which awarded 1,256 degrees in Georgia in 2024-25, 82.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming an Environmental Science?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 5 programs to this occupation. The largest are Science Technologies/Technicians, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Sustainability Studies, Geography and Environmental Studies, plus 1 more. Together they graduate about 1,525 people a year in Georgia.

How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including health earn in Georgia?+

The median is $48,050 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 12.8% below the U.S. median of $55,090. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for environmental science and protection technicians, including health growing?+

BLS projects a +4.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 5,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Georgia?+

33 institutions in Georgia reported graduates from at least one of the 5 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do environmental science and protection technicians, including health work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Sanitarian, Environmental Health Officer (EHO), Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech), Soil Lab Technician (Soil Laboratory Technician) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-4042.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health in other statesCaliforniaNew YorkMassachusettsFloridaTexasPennsylvaniaOhioNorth Carolina

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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