Climate Science graduates pursue 3 occupations, with top roles paying $167,220/yr or more. The career cards below break down wages, daily tasks, and 10-year job growth projections for each.
This page covers Climate Science as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Interdisciplinary Studies and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Climate Science is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. You will not have trouble finding it: 6 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 110 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Colleges Offering
6
Graduates / Year
110
Avg Net Price / yr
$17,213
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 110 students who complete Climate Science programs each year, the majority (96%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
96%
Master's96%
Bachelor's3%
Post-Bacc Cert.1%
What Can You Do With a Climate Science Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Climate Science graduates show up in 3 different occupations, and Natural Sciences Managers pay the most at $167,220/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.
Hire, supervise, or evaluate engineers, technicians, researchers, or other staff.
Design or coordinate successive phases of problem analysis, solution proposals, or testing.
Plan or direct research, development, or production activities.
Teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as structural geology, micrometeorology, and atmospheric thermodynamics.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Investigate atmospheric phenomena and interpret meteorological data, gathered by surface and air stations, satellites, and radar to prepare reports and forecasts for public and other uses. Includes weather analysts and forecasters whose functions require the detailed knowledge of meteorology.
Develop or use mathematical or computer models for weather forecasting.
Interpret data, reports, maps, photographs, or charts to predict long- or short-range weather conditions, using computer models and knowledge of climate theory, physics, and mathematics.
Conduct meteorological research into the processes or determinants of atmospheric phenomena, weather, or climate.
Top Colleges for Climate Science
Only 4 colleges had enough verified data to appear here for Climate Science. They are sorted by graduate volume, not selectivity, so use them as a starting point rather than a ranking.
Ranked by Climate Science graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Climate Science is not the only path through Interdisciplinary Studies: 38 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Climate Science program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Climate Science shows 2 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Fast-growing fieldRelated careers are projected to grow up to +8.2% over the next decade, with Natural Sciences Managers among the fastest-growing roles.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 10,800 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Limited program availabilityOnly 6 colleges offer this program nationally, which may limit geographic flexibility when choosing a school.
What jobs can you get with a Climate Science degree?
Natural Sciences Managers are one path, and it pays a median of $167,220 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Climate Science program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Climate Science students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Climate Science?
6 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
What is the difference between Climate Science and Interdisciplinary Studies?
Climate Science is the narrower of the two: Interdisciplinary Studies covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Climate Science-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Climate Science graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Climate Science graduates consistently look for writing, critical analysis, and cross-cultural communication. Employers value the ability to synthesize complex information clearly, skills that transfer into communications, law, consulting, and content roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Climate Science graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +4.4% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Natural Sciences Managers are among the strongest-growth roles at +8.2%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Other programs in Interdisciplinary Studies. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Choose a Major Pillar
A decision framework for picking a college major using your interests, aptitudes, and federal earnings data to reach a defensible choice before applying.
Yes, most schools allow it, but the schedule math rarely works without either overlapping requirements or extra time. Here's when it actually fits in four years.
The real cost of a second major, when it pays back and when it doesn't, and why a focused single major with a relevant minor often beats a double major.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
