Best Environmental Science programs in Pennsylvania, 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.
63 schools in Pennsylvania run programs that feed this job, graduating 696 people a year. The job pays a median of $60,650 in Pennsylvania across about 1,180 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Pennsylvania that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
7 programs in Pennsylvania that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Pennsylvania (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 Pennsylvania page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 03.0104In Pennsylvania → | 395 | 56.8% | 51 | $34,020 | $23,032 |
| 2 | CIP 30.3301In Pennsylvania → | 227 | 32.6% | 18 | $37,223 | $20,968 |
| 3 | CIP 30.4401In Pennsylvania → | 58 | 8.3% | 2 | — | — |
| 4 | CIP 15.0506In Pennsylvania → | 10 | 1.4% | 1 | $36,407 | $10,250 |
| 5 | Science Technologies/Technicians, Othermain feeder CIP 41.9999In Pennsylvania → | 4 | 0.6% | 2 | $49,936 | $22,636 |
| 6 | CIP 15.0507In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | $36,407 | $10,250 |
| 7 | CIP 40.0509In Pennsylvania → | 1 | 0.1% | 1 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
Top 25 schools in Pennsylvania
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 16 of the 63 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 83 | Sustainability Studies | $40,485 | 85% | — | 58% |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 69 | Geography and Environmental Studies | — | 86% | — | 61% |
| 3 | Villanova University Villanova, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Environmental Science | $56,549 | 92% | $33,774 | 27% |
| 4 | Allegheny College Meadville, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 40 | Sustainability Studies | — | 73% | $18,524 | 55% |
| 5 | Chatham University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Sustainability Studies | $18,954 | 63% | $23,700 | 62% |
| 6 | Dickinson College Carlisle, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Environmental Science | $27,663 | 80% | $22,831 | 42% |
| 7 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 26 | Environmental Science | $39,068 | 56% | — | 87% |
| 8 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 24 | Environmental Science | $40,477 | 54% | — | 91% |
| 9 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 22 | Environmental Science | $31,817 | 75% | — | 80% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania Western University California, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Environmental Science | $36,345 | 52% | — | 94% |
| 11 | Drexel University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Environmental Science | $30,835 | 78% | $36,004 | 79% |
| 12 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Sustainability Studies | — | 94% | $23,803 | 12% |
| 13 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Environmental Science | — | 77% | $32,060 | 84% |
| 14 | Muhlenberg College Allentown, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 15 | Sustainability Studies | — | 82% | $23,111 | 72% |
| 15 | Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 14 | Environmental Science | — | 75% | $25,675 | 79% |
| 16 | Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Environmental Science | — | 21% | — | — |
| 17 | Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 13 | Environmental Science | — | 79% | $34,418 | 89% |
| 18 | Delaware Valley University Doylestown, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Environmental Science | $39,903 | 56% | $25,402 | 93% |
| 19 | Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 12 | Environmental Science | — | 24% | — | — |
| 20 | Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Erie - Behrend College Erie, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 11 | Environmental Science | — | 44% | — | 97% |
| 21 | Bucks County Community College Newtown, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Environmental Science | — | 32% | — | — |
| 22 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician | — | 71% | — | 71% |
| 23 | Franklin and Marshall College Lancaster, PA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Environmental Science | $36,536 | 84% | $27,178 | 28% |
| 24 | Juniata College Huntingdon, PA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Environmental Science | $33,069 | 74% | $24,867 | 79% |
| 25 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA Public · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Environmental Science | — | 58% | — | 86% |
All 63 schools in Pennsylvania
Every school in Pennsylvania 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.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | Public | 83 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus | University Park | Public | 69 | 2 |
| Villanova University | Villanova | Private not-for-profit | 43 | 1 |
| Allegheny College | Meadville | Private not-for-profit | 40 | 1 |
| Chatham University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 30 | 2 |
| Dickinson College | Carlisle | Private not-for-profit | 30 | 1 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg | Public | 26 | 2 |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | Kutztown | Public | 24 | 1 |
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Public | 22 | 2 |
| Pennsylvania Western University | California | Public | 20 | 1 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Private not-for-profit | 19 | 1 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 1 |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 1 |
| Muhlenberg College | Allentown | Private not-for-profit | 15 | 2 |
| Messiah University | Mechanicsburg | Private not-for-profit | 14 | 2 |
What environmental science and protection technicians, including health earn in Pennsylvania
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $55,090. Pennsylvania pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Pennsylvania
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
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
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania.
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 Environmental Science, which awarded 395 degrees in Pennsylvania in 2024-25, 56.8% 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 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Sustainability Studies, Geography and Environmental Studies, Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 696 people a year in Pennsylvania.
How much do environmental science and protection technicians, including health earn in Pennsylvania?+
The median is $60,650 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 10.1% above 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 Pennsylvania?+
63 institutions in Pennsylvania reported graduates from at least one of the 7 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.
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 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected 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 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, 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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