Career
Environmental Scientist
Study how ecosystems, pollutants, and climate interact — fieldwork + lab + data + policy.
Median salary
$79K
$48K$134K
2022–2032 outlook
+6%
Average growthA day in the life
- 01Site visit to collect water or soil samples
- 02Lab analysis and data cleanup
- 03Write reports for clients or regulators
What you'll actually do
- →Collect environmental data
- →Analyze samples and survey results
- →Develop plans to prevent or control pollution
Majors that lead here
Environmental Science
Environmental Scientist, Conservation Biologist, Sustainability Manager, Climate Policy Analyst, Park Ranger
Biology & Pre-Med
Physician (MD/DO), Research Scientist, Pharmacist, Genetic Counselor, Biotech Researcher, Physician Assistant (PA), Veterinarian, Dentist, Public Health Officer, Bioinformatics Analyst
Top colleges for this path
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
8.6% acceptance
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
80% acceptance
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
36.2% acceptance
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
9% acceptance
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
41.8% acceptance
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO
78.1% acceptance
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
92.9% acceptance
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA
87.9% acceptance
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
93.5% acceptance
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
88.3% acceptance
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ
87.9% acceptance
See how you stack up
Get your personalized match score for colleges strong in this path.