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Environmental specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an environmental specialist. Environmental specialists usually study environmental science, biology, or business. 64% of environmental specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 6,397 real environmental specialist resumes to see exactly what environmental specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for environmental specialists are the Florida State University and the Florida State University.
There are also many online environmental specialist courses to help get the education required to be an environmental specialist.
There are certain environmental specialist certifications that you should consider. These environmental specialist certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become an environmental specialist?
What degree do you need to be an environmental specialist?
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 10%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become an environmental specialist?
Most common colleges for environmental specialists
| Environmental specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Florida State University | 9.11% |
| Texas A&M University | 8.71% |
| University of South Florida | 8.12% |
| University of Florida | 7.72% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.34% |
Best majors for environmental specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Science | 25.6% |
| 2 | Biology | 17.2% |
| 3 | Business | 7.8% |
| 4 | Geology | 7.7% |
| 5 | Public Health | 5.1% |
Best colleges for environmental specialists
The best colleges for environmental specialists are Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
An environmental specialist 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 specialists. 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 specialists.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
10. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
20 best online courses for environmental specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. Environmental Science
The Introduction to Environmental Science course explores the field of environmental science and encourages participants to understand how environmental scientists think. It addresses some important questions such as: 1. What is the difference between environmental science and environmental studies? 2. How do both differ from environmentalism? 3. Why is energy so important in environmental science? 4. What do you mean by biodiversity? You will also explore what global cycles are and how they...
2. Geospatial and Environmental Analysis
Apply your GIS knowledge in this course on geospatial analysis, focusing on analysis tools, 3D data, working with rasters, projections, and environment variables. Through all four weeks of this course, we'll work through a project together - something unique to this course - from project conception, through data retrieval, initial data management and processing, and finally to our analysis products. In this class you will learn the fundamentals of geospatial and environmental analysis during...
3. Air Dispersion Modeling for Environmental Management
Environmental management with AERMOD Air Pollution Model by EPA...
4. ISO 14001:2015 Environmental management system
Understand the requirements for an environmental management system according to ISO 14001:2015...
5. Municipal Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries
Have you come across large piles of garbage in neighbourhoods and streets and smelly waste disposal sites polluting the environment of low- and middle-income countries? Do you want to know what kind of sustainable solutions are appropriate to better manage waste and enhance recycling and recovery? If yes, this course is for you! This course provides you with an overview of the municipal solid waste management situation in low- and middle-income countries. It covers key elements of the waste...
6. Introduction to Environmental Science
To understand current environmental problems, we need to consider physical, biological & chemical processes that are often the basis of those problems. This course will give you the skills necessary to address the environmental issues we are facing today by examining scientific principles and the application of those principles to natural systems. This course surveys some of the many environmental science topics at an introductory level, ultimately considering the sustainability of human...
7. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)
Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...
8. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.
OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...
9. Human Health Risks, Health Equity, and Environmental Justice
The fourth and final course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will cover two topics. The first is environmental justice – that is, avoiding an inequitable distribution of environmental health threats in our population, and ensuring a healthy and safe environment and health equity for all. The second is risk assessment and management, a framework that can be utilized to assess and quantify human health risks, and to identify appropriate approaches to...
10. Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health
In this specialization, you will explore how many public health outcomes are directly influenced by human contact with the environment. The four courses in this series will introduce you to the environmental health sciences (EHS) discipline; you'll examine the hazards of air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, radon, and noise; identify the major challenges posed by climate change and unsustainable practices; and use risk assessment to evaluate the health of population,...
11. Introduction to Compliance Risk Management CRM
Compliance risk management CRM for Compliance, Risk Management, Internal Audit and IS Security Professionals...
12. Compliance Training for Employees
Compliance: a simple, comprehensive and effective way to protect your company!...
13. Women in environmental biology
Have you ever wondered how humans relate to other living beings and what do you need to know to be able to understand current environmental problems? Do you know that many of these researches and knowledge have been described by women? This course gives answers to these questions and it is addressed to anyone interested in the relationship between humans and other living beings, as well as all those concerned about the global change situation that the planet is suffering. We will learn key...
14. What is Compliance?
Compliance isn’t only about preventing problems and ensuring that everyone is abiding by laws, rules, and regulations. It’s also about the positive impact a robust and ethical compliance program can have on a business or organization. In this course we will discuss why compliance is important – from the needs facing businesses in highly regulated industries to avoiding fines and penalties to preventing reputational and economic nightmares. We’ll examine real-world examples of compliance and...
15. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning
Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...
16. Project Charter Specialist (Accredited) Project Management
What is Project Charter? Components? Template? Example? Document Project Charter? Project Charter Specialist Earn PDUs...
17. Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
Course Overview: https://youtu.be/LLVb4FOn4uU This course provides a basic knowledge of an emerging area – Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in buildings. Learners will realize the importance of maintaining proper IAQ. Characteristics associated with indoor air contaminants (IAC) are demonstrated, such as • Particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10) • Radon • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) • Asbestos • Bio-aerosols, and more Safe exposure levels, resulting health effects, measurement techniques, mitigate and...
18. Electrical, Electronics and PCB Design Safety & Compliance
Learn the most important aspects and methods for designing safe electrical and electronics products and applications...
19. Quality Management Systems:Management and Control of Quality
Learn to Build, Implement, and Sustain a Performance Excellence Culture into Your Organisation...
20. Privacy and Data Protection, Certified GDPR Compliance
From theory to practice (junior and less than 1 year experience level)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for environmental specialists
The most affordable schools for environmental specialists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for environmental specialists 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 specialists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
5. 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
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
9. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
10. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for environmental specialists
The hardest universities for environmental specialists to get into are Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for environmental specialists 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 specialists 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. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,448
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for environmental specialists
The easiest schools for environmental specialists to get into are D'Youville College, university of the incarnate word, and saint joseph's college of maine.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an environmental specialist 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 specialists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
9. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
10. Ursuline College
Pepper Pike, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,102
Average environmental specialist salary by education level
| Environmental specialist education level | Environmental specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $61,707 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,362 |
Environmental specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025