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Environmental economist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an environmental economist. Environmental economists usually study economics, natural resources management, or geology. 44% of environmental economists hold a bachelor's degree, and 31% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 16 real environmental economist resumes to see exactly what environmental economist education sections show.
The most common colleges for environmental economists are the University of Kentucky and the University of Kentucky.
There are also many online environmental economist courses to help get the education required to be an environmental economist.
What education do you need to become an environmental economist?
What degree do you need to be an environmental economist?
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Master's, 31%
- Doctorate, 25%
What should I major in to become an environmental economist?
Most common colleges for environmental economists
| Environmental economist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | 14.29% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 14.29% |
| Michigan State University | 14.29% |
| University of New Hampshire | 14.29% |
| University of South Alabama | 14.29% |
Best majors for environmental economists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Economics | 25.0% |
| 2 | Natural Resources Management | 12.5% |
| 3 | Geology | 6.3% |
| 4 | Finance | 6.3% |
| 5 | Environmental Science | 6.3% |
Best colleges for environmental economists
The best colleges for environmental economists are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An environmental economist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for environmental economists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become environmental economists.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
3. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
6. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
9. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for environmental economists
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6. Introduction to Economic Theories
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19. What do we mean by climate breakdown?
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20. Green Jujitsu: Smart Employee Engagement for Sustainability
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Top 10 most affordable universities for environmental economists
The most affordable schools for environmental economists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for environmental economists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for environmental economists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for environmental economists
The hardest universities for environmental economists to get into are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for environmental economists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for environmental economists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
6. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for environmental economists
The easiest schools for environmental economists to get into are University of the Incarnate Word, university of baltimore, and sonoma state university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an environmental economist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for environmental economists.
1. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
2. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
3. Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,072
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,062
10. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
Average environmental economist salary by education level
| Environmental economist education level | Environmental economist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,394 |
| Doctorate Degree | $87,214 |
Environmental economist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025