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Sustainability internship education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a sustainability internship. Sustainability interns usually study environmental science, sustainability, or business. 80% of sustainability interns hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,840 real sustainability internship resumes to see exactly what sustainability internship education sections show.
The most common colleges for sustainability interns are the University of California - Davis and the University of California - Davis.
There are also many online sustainability internship courses to help get the education required to be a sustainability internship.
There are certain sustainability internship certifications that you should consider. These sustainability internship certifications include Certified Sustainable Development Professional (CSDP) and Certified Environmental Professional: Environmental Operations.
What education do you need to become a sustainability internship?
What degree do you need to be a sustainability internship?
- Bachelor's, 80%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 4%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a sustainability internship?
- Sustainability, 8%
- Business, 7%
- Biology, 5%
- Other Majors, 46%
Most common colleges for sustainability interns
| Sustainability internship common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of California - Davis | 9.86% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 9.39% |
| Arizona State University | 8.45% |
| University of South Florida | 6.10% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 5.63% |
Best majors for sustainability interns
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Environmental Science | 34.1% |
| 2 | Sustainability | 8.5% |
| 3 | Business | 7.3% |
| 4 | Biology | 5.2% |
| 5 | Political Science | 4.7% |
Best colleges for sustainability interns
The best colleges for sustainability interns are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A sustainability internship with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sustainability interns. 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 sustainability interns.
1. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
8. Texas State University
San Marcos, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
9. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
10. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,880
Enrollment
6,590
20 best online courses for sustainability interns
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1. Data Streaming
Learn how to process data in real-time by building fluency in modern data engineering tools, such as Apache Spark, Kafka, Spark Streaming, and Kafka Streaming. ...
2. 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...
3. Sustainable Urban Water Systems
The MOOC “Sustainable Urban Water Systems” aims to provide knowledge about modern and sustainable solutions for urban water management in water-sensitive cities. The focus is on stormwater control and water supply strategies for the mitigation of effects on the water cycles due to human settlements and climate change. In particular, the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban drainage systems, the use of alternative water resources, and the reduction of losses and waste, make...
4. Solid Waste Mangement
A primer on the best practices for managing solid waste...
5. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System
Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...
6. Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management
Learn about the impact of infectious disease on sustainable animal-based food production by understanding the science of growth, immunity, and infection and by learning the problem-solving skills needed to advance animal health and food production through optimal management practices. There is a growing global need in agricultural production for a workforce that is capable of integrating knowledge of animal health and production with an understanding of consumer preferences in the context of...
7. Sustainable Food Systems
Throughout this course, you will delve into the intricate details of the food production system through a system-thinking lens. You will examine the grand challenges faced by the food, fiber, and natural resource industries, and their repercussions on people, the planet, and profit. By the end of this course, you will have a clear understanding of the concept of systems thinking, be able to explain the three key pillars of sustainability and link these pillars to social, environmental, and...
8. Sustainability Management in Business
Everything you need to know about creating sustainable value, ESG and building business resilience...
9. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
10. Sustainable Cities
This Specialization is intended for individuals and organizations interested in developing skills and strategies to create and support sustainable cities. Through these four courses, you will gain a strong understanding of the tools and concepts needed to succeed in reaching this goal. Successful case studies of smart growth applications will be evaluated and assessed for multiple cities throughout the United States. The concentration will provide students with an introduction to sustainable...
11. Healthy and Sustainable Foods and Products
The effects of climate change have prompted individuals and institutions to evaluate their impact on our planet. In this specialization, learn how you and global companies can reduce the harmful effects of overproduction and overconsumption on our health and the environment using quantitative metrics and assessment methods.\n\nThis series will allow you to:\n\nAnalyze the health impacts of global trade and identify the steps needed to reach sustainable consumption. Assess the nutritional and...
12. Lean Management: Reduce waste and boost efficiency
Learn how to use the principles of lean management to optimize production, eliminate waste, and maximize customer value...
13. Fundamentals of Intelligent Sustainable Business
A 100-year guide for growing sustainable business...
14. Sustainability Analyst Fundamentals
The ASU Sustainability specialization introduces the role of a sustainability analyst, assesses sustainability challenges that face the planet and employers, and equips learners with the foundational skills needed to address these challenges. By developing competency in goal-setting, reporting and data analysis, learners who complete the specialization will be able to make an impact on their organization as a sustainability analyst.\n\nThis specialization is designed to build on the...
15. Food Sustainability, Mindful Eating, and Healthy Cooking
This specialization is intended for anyone seeking to improve their health, protect our planet and build a stronger, more positive relationship with food. The courses aim to improve knowledge about the relationships between our health, our food, how our food is made, and our environment, while inspiring us to make decisions that will protect our health and the health of the environment. After completing the specialization a learner with no previous food, nutrition, sustainable, mindful eating,...
16. Fun food safety and sanitation course
The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...
17. ESG and Sustainable Investing 365
Foundational Course on ESG and Sustainable Finance Anchored in CFA Institute's research...
18. Business Sustainability in the Circular Economy
We are surrounded by so much discussion of sustainability that it can sometimes become overwhelming. Important questions include: What role can business have in ensuring the sustainability of the planet? How should business work with society to preserve the environment? These questions will be answered in this course as we explore the meaning of sustainability and its impact on modern organisations as they move to circular ideas to reduce waste, increase recycling and become fit for our modern...
19. Sustainable Business Enterprises
This course will explore current challenges and opportunities facing firms in the area of environmental sustainability. It will begin with an introduction to sustainability, with a particular focus on how environmental sustainability is relevant to business. Topics such as unsustainable consumption/consumer behavior, market research on sustainable product design , and sustainable value chains and communications will be covered. We will also cover the bottom-up approach in terms of immersion,...
20. Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets
What we eat and how we produce that food have significant effects on human health and the sustainability of our planet. But what is a ‘sustainable’ diet? A sustainable diet, as defined by the FAO, promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations. This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex...
Top 10 most affordable universities for sustainability interns
The most affordable schools for sustainability interns are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for sustainability interns 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 sustainability interns.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
4. 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
5. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sustainability interns
The hardest universities for sustainability interns to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for sustainability interns 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 sustainability interns 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. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
Admissions rate
43%
SAT average
1,415
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sustainability interns
The easiest schools for sustainability interns to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, saint joseph's college of maine, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sustainability internship 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 sustainability interns.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
8. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
9. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
10. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
Average sustainability internship salary by education level
| Sustainability internship education level | Sustainability internship salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $38,854 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,986 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025