Q: What kinds of jobs do Environmental Science graduates get?

A: About 40% public sector, 40% private sector. The remaining 10-20% go on to graduate school after earning their bachelor's. County, state, and federal agency jobs tend to be managerial to technical. Private sector jobs are often consulting companies, but can also include public interest groups.

Q: What is the salary range for people with Environmental Science bachelor's degrees?

A: According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, starting salary offers for students graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Science averaged $50,880 in 2021. The national median of salaries for all environmental scientists was reported as $76,530. Demand and salary amounts are generally highest for those with certain marketable skills such as GIS or strong quantitative skills.

Q: Will the classes have a lot of people in them?

A: EnSci courses generally have between 10-30 students in a class. Some of the foundation courses have large lectures, but break down into small (15-20) groups for labs and homework.

Q: Will I have an advisor?

A: Yes. You will have a professional staff advisor to assist you in completing courses that satisfy the general education, foundation course requirements, and major requirements. Additionally, faculty mentors are available to assist in providing research opportunities.

Q: Does EnSci have a learning community?

A: Yes! We register freshman students together in the same sections of classes. We then have a series of community building and academic support activities to help all new students get a successful start. The Environmental Science club also fosters interaction between students across years in school.

Q: What's up with the two colleges, are there two different Environmental Science degrees ?

A: Since Environmental Science is an interdepartmental major, there are contributing departments from both the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. This provides our students with their choice of colleges. The major requirements for the Environmental Science degree are the same, but there are some College General Education requirement differences. You can switch at anytime and your advisor can help pick the one that is right for you.