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Environmental Technician Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an environmental technician. Environmental technicians usually study environmental science, biology, or business. 47% of environmental technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 7,857 real environmental technician resumes to see exactly what environmental technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for environmental technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online environmental technician courses to help get the education required to be an environmental technician.
There are certain environmental technician certifications that you should consider. These environmental technician certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
What education do you need to become an environmental technician?
What degree do you need to be an environmental technician?
- Bachelor's, 47%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Associate, 19%
- Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become an environmental technician?
Most common colleges for environmental technicians
| Environmental Technician Common College | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 12.24% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.06% |
| University of Pittsburgh | 5.37% |
| Eastern Kentucky University | 5.37% |
| Texas A&M University | 5.37% |
Best majors for environmental technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Science | 21.2% |
| 2 | Biology | 13.6% |
| 3 | Business | 12.0% |
| 4 | Geology | 7.5% |
| 5 | General Studies | 5.9% |
Best colleges for environmental technicians
The best colleges for environmental technicians are Duke University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
An environmental technician 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 technicians. 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 technicians.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
3. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
4. Colby College
Waterville, ME • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,210
Enrollment
2,000
5. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
6. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
7. University of California - Davis
Davis, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,402
Enrollment
30,698
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
10. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,874
Enrollment
1,819
20 best online courses for environmental technicians
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. 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...
3. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment
Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...
4. Air Dispersion Modeling for Environmental Management
Environmental management with AERMOD Air Pollution Model by EPA...
5. 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...
6. 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...
7. ISO 14001:2015 Environmental management system
Understand the requirements for an environmental management system according to ISO 14001:2015...
8. 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...
9. 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,...
10. 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...
11. OSHA Control of Hazardous Energy and Lock Out / Tag Out
OSHA required training under 29 CFR 1910 and 1926...
12. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.
OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...
13. Natural Attenuation of Groundwater Contaminants: New Paradigms, Technologies, and Applications
Cleaning up the large number of groundwater contamination sites is a significant and complex environmental challenge. The environmental industry is continuously looking for remediation methods that are both effective and cost-efficient. Over the past 10 years there have been amazing, important developments in our understanding of key attenuation processes and technologies for evaluating natural attenuation processes, and a changing institutional perspective on when and where Monitored Natural...
14. 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...
15. Become a Pharmacy Technician
A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...
16. OSHA Safety Pro: Hearing Protection Program
Your guide to preventing hearing loss using OSHA's Occupational Noise Exposure Standards...
17. Risk Management: Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment
Risk Management: Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA), Hazard Control & Mitigation, Risk Evaluation Techniques...
18. HACCP-Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point Certification
Food Safety Preventive Approach (HACCP System)...
19. The A to Z of ESG - Environmental & Social Governance
A Perspective for Businesses on How to Manage ESG - Why it matters to Financial Performance and to the Economy...
20. Water Treatment Process Design
design water treatment& RO/NF plants, sand& multimedia filter, iron& manganese removal filter, Ion exchange DI& softener...
Top 10 most affordable universities for environmental technicians
The most affordable schools for environmental technicians are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and university of washington.
If the best universities for environmental technicians 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 technicians.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,240
Cost of Attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
3. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Cost of Attendance
25,275
4. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,992
Cost of Attendance
22,430
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
6. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,184
Cost of Attendance
36,739
7. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,101
Cost of Attendance
23,600
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,064
Cost of Attendance
15,576
9. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,338
Cost of Attendance
14,281
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,556
Cost of Attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for environmental technicians
The hardest universities for environmental technicians to get into are Duke University, Stanford University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for environmental technicians 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 technicians 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
4%
SAT Average
1,497
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
4. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,448
5. Colby College
Waterville, ME • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,437
6. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,449
7. Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
9%
SAT Average
1,465
8. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
29%
SAT Average
1,422
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
10. Hamilton College
Clinton, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
21%
SAT Average
1,446
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for environmental technicians
The easiest schools for environmental technicians to get into are Saint Joseph's College of Maine, thomas more university, and curry college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an environmental technician 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 technicians.
1. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions Rate
84%
SAT Average
1,069
2. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,099
3. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
93%
SAT Average
1,026
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
98%
SAT Average
1,003
5. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
81%
SAT Average
1,117
6. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
96%
SAT Average
1,139
7. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
1,058
8. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions Rate
71%
SAT Average
1,035
9. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
88%
SAT Average
1,044
10. Lubbock Christian University
Lubbock, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,094
Average environmental technician salary by education level
| Environmental Technician education level | Environmental Technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $43,919 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,927 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,982 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,091 |
Environmental Technician Education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025