Environmental Geosciences graduates pursue 8 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 Environmental Geosciences 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.
Environmental Geosciences is a focused area of study within Interdisciplinary Studies. You will not have trouble finding it: 15 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 102 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. The focus is on writing, analysis, and communication that transfer across industries.
Colleges Offering
15
Graduates / Year
102
Avg Net Price / yr
$20,193
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 102 students who complete Environmental Geosciences programs each year, the majority (87%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
87%
Bachelor's87%
Post-Bacc Cert.7%
Master's5%
What Can You Do With an Environmental Geosciences Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Environmental Geosciences graduates show up in 8 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.
Reading ComprehensionSpeakingScienceCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving
Day-to-day responsibilities
Study the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth. May use geological, physics, and mathematics knowledge in exploration for oil, gas, minerals, or underground water; or in waste disposal, land reclamation, or other environmental problems. May study the Earth's internal composition, atmospheres, and oceans, and its magnetic, electrical, and gravitational forces. Includes mineralogists, paleontologists, stratigraphers, geodesists, and seismologists.
Plan or conduct geological, geochemical, or geophysical field studies or surveys, sample collection, or drilling and testing programs used to collect data for research or application.
Analyze and interpret geological data, using computer software.
Investigate the composition, structure, or history of the Earth's crust through the collection, examination, measurement, or classification of soils, minerals, rocks, or fossil remains.
Research the distribution, circulation, and physical properties of underground and surface waters; and study the form and intensity of precipitation and its rate of infiltration into the soil, movement through the earth, and return to the ocean and atmosphere.
Prepare written and oral reports describing research results, using illustrations, maps, appendices, and other information.
Design and conduct scientific hydrogeological investigations to ensure that accurate and appropriate information is available for use in water resource management decisions.
Measure and graph phenomena such as lake levels, stream flows, and changes in water volumes.
Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.
Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
Active ListeningReading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingSpeaking
Day-to-day responsibilities
Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.
Warn violators of infractions or penalties.
Evaluate applications, records, or documents to gather information about eligibility or liability issues.
Advise licensees or other individuals or groups concerning licensing, permit, or passport regulations.
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
Top Colleges for Environmental Geosciences
Not sure where to study Environmental Geosciences? These 11 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Environmental Geosciences graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Interdisciplinary Studies Programs
Environmental Geosciences 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 an Environmental Geosciences program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Environmental Geosciences shows 2 measurable strengths and 3 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 116,300 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.
Declining roles in some areas1 related career show negative 10-year employment projections. Research specific roles before committing.
Limited program availabilityOnly 15 colleges offer this program nationally, which may limit geographic flexibility when choosing a school.
What jobs can you get with an Environmental Geosciences 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 an Environmental Geosciences program take?
Four years of full-time study for an Environmental Geosciences bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Environmental Geosciences?
15 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 Environmental Geosciences and Interdisciplinary Studies?
Environmental Geosciences is the narrower of the two: Interdisciplinary Studies covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Environmental Geosciences-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 Environmental Geosciences graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Environmental Geosciences 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 Environmental Geosciences graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +3.7% 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.