Schools with Environmental Data Science and Analytics Degrees

Ready to save the world? Data scientists & analytics professionals are leading the charge in using AI, statistics & computational tools to tackle massive environmental challenges and mitigate the effects of climate change. Learn more about this exciting field in our advice sections or jump ahead to listings to start browsing through our giant directory of degrees & certificates in environmental data science.

What is Environmental Data Science?

What Do Environmental Data Science & Analytics Professionals Do?

Anyone involved in the field of environmental data science is bringing data-driven approaches & computational methods to bear on environmental science research. On any given day, environmental data scientists & analytics professionals:

• Acquire, corral, clean & organize environmental data—including data from field studies, satellite imagery, sensors, and public databases—to prepare it for analysis
• Use sophisticated statistical & computational techniques—including analytics, Machine Learning (ML), and AI—to identify hidden environmental patterns, trends & correlations
• Work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and remote sensing tools to analyze spatial data, create maps, and visualize environmental changes
• Develop computational models & simulations to predict scenarios, simulate environmental phenomena, and assess the impact of interventions
• Communicate findings through easy-to-understand data visualizations, maps, reports, and presentations
• Create research-driven insights for policymakers, businesses, the government, and the public

Why Choose Environmental Data Science or Analytics?

There are now enormous reservoirs of datasets relating to the environment and the earth. And it requires a true expert to understand how to utilize these sets to solve complex problems, make informed decisions, and plan for the future. Pursue this degree and you could be on the forefront of tackling:

• Biodiversity
• Climate change models & solutions
• Environmental disasters
• Extreme weather events
• Food security & agricultural practices
• Forestry management
• Landscape conservation
• Pollution mitigation
• Public health
• Sustainable planning
• Urban development
• Waste management
• Water quality & availability

Environmental data science & analytics is an emerging field, so it pays to be well-informed. Talk to a lot of working professionals—our Resources section has links to conferences and organizations. Contact institutes that are involved in environmental data science research. And examine job postings. You don’t want to lock yourself into environmental work if you’re not absolutely in love with it.

On the flip side, there are new job titles & opportunities appearing almost every day, especially in the realm of AI. You’ll now find environmental data experts working in a huge variety of jobs—from sustainable finance and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) to startups. With the right strategy, you can craft your own career.

Environmental Data Science Coursework & Requirements

Admissions Requirements for Environmental Data Science or Analytics Majors

To make your life a little easier, we’ve included direct links to admissions requirements in our listings. If your GPA isn’t stellar, think about how you can prove your dedication to environmental science and data analytics. Work experience, technical certifications, and self-directed learning can go a long way with some schools.

Undergraduate

Universities are going to be looking for candidates with a high school diploma or GED and strengths in mathematics (e.g. algebra, geometry & calculus), science (e.g. biology and chemistry), and communication skills (e.g. English).

Use the links in our listings to learn more about GPA thresholds and SAT or ACT requirements. And be sure to highlight any involvement in extracurricular activities such as science fairs, environmental clubs, and green-focused community service projects.

Graduate

Admissions requirements for master’s degrees in environmental data science & analytics will vary from school to school, but almost every university is going to be looking for evidence of your commitment to both data and environmental science. Our listings have the full details. Here’s a quick summary:

• Bachelor’s Degree: Most schools will want to see a BS in science, computing, math, engineering, or a related social science discipline. A few schools will consider other candidates if they have relevant experience and/or a solid chunk of coursework in those fields.
  
• GPA: The standard GPA requirement is a minimum of 3.0, but competitive environmental data science programs may skew more towards 3.5. Feel free to ask the program coordinator for the GPA average of successful candidates over the past few years.
• GMAT/GRE: We’re seeing a trend toward GRE or GMAT scores being optional, waived for certain candidates, or simply not required. If they’re optional, you’ll have to make a decision about whether to take the test. It may be helpful if you have a low GPA and you’re trying to show folks you have what it takes. Otherwise, it may not be worth the time & money.
• Relevant Experience: This is where you can truly shine. List any work experiences & internships that relate to the degree. Do you have a portfolio on GitHub? Have you tackled significant environmental projects that employ data analysis & visualizations? Get it all in there.
• Undergraduate Coursework: You’ll usually need to show some evidence of undergraduate coursework in statistics, programming, data analysis, and/or environmental science. However, many universities will allow you to complete prerequisites before or during the degree.

Sample Coursework for Environmental Data Science & Analytics Majors

Because environmental data science is a new’ish field, universities are still sorting out how the degree should be structured. Sometimes you’ll see it as a concentration or emphasis within a data science or ecology/environmental science program. Sometimes you’ll find it as a major in of itself. The easiest way to cut through the confusion is to follow the coursework link in our listings.

Bachelor’s Degree

Undergraduate programs in environmental data science or analytics are always going to be Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees. And almost all of them will be campus-based or hybrid.

We took a look at the curricula within our listings to see if there were any common denominators. Here’s what you might encounter within a 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Environmental Data Science:

• General Education (GE) Requirements: Be ready to tackle the usual run of liberal arts, social sciences, and humanities/foreign languages courses. Communication and an understanding of complex systems are key skills in environmental data science, so these credits will pay off!
• College-Level Chemistry: We saw this as a mandatory requirement across the board. Schools want to be sure that you understand the driving forces behind environmental science.
• College-Level Mathematics: Expect to complete coursework in calculus, statistics, and probability. These mathematical concepts will feed into your analytics & data science work.
• Analytics & Data Science: Schools will usually start with an introduction to programming and courses such as applied data structures and data visualization.

Once you’ve completed the foundation work and start to focus on the major, coursework becomes a lot more exciting. This is where you might see courses in:

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Environmental Modeling
• Remote Sensing
• Environmental Law & Policy
• Land & Water Management
• Resource Management
• Ecology

Keep in mind that departments will skew the curriculum towards their strengths & interests. For example, you’ll notice that Michigan Tech’s Bachelor of Science in Environmental Data Science leans hard on forest & wetland management. But schools like the University of Delaware are focused on GIS skills. You should also be looking to customize your degree with your choice of electives, special topics, concentration, and your final project.

Undergraduate Certificate

They’re rare, but they exist! Schools like Southern Oregon University do offer a Certificate in Environmental Data Science to undergraduates. Undergraduate certificates may be available to recent high school graduates, current undergraduates, or working professionals. In the case of Southern Oregon, the certificate is evenly split between computer science and environmental science credits:

• Computer Science
• Applied Data Structures
• AI Engineering
• Databases
• GIS
• Remote Sensing
• Environmental Modeling
• Environmental Data Analysis

Master’s Degree

Once you reach the graduate level, you’ll encounter a wide range of choices in our listings, including schools that offer unusual concentrations within a standard analytics or data science major (e.g. Appalachian State University’s Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics with Sustainable Business Concentration). No matter what your interest, you’re sure to find something that suits your particular career goals. For instance:

• Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health focuses on environmental health data science.
• Rutgers explores urban environmental analysis.
• Illinois Tech dives into sustainability analytics & management.

However, if you’re still unsure of your focus, you may wish to stick to a program that mixes rigorous training in computer science & analytics with credits in practical environmental concerns. UC Santa Barbara’s Master of Environmental Data Science (MEDS) from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management has a solid template for this kind of technically-focused degree. The curriculum covers:

• Databases & Data Management
• Statistics
• Python
• Machine Learning
• Geospatial Analysis & Remote Sensing
• Modeling Environmental Systems
• Data Visualization & Communication
• Environmental Policy Evaluation
• Ethics & Bias in Environmental Science
• Advanced Topics/Electives
• Capstone Project

Graduate Certificate

Graduate certificates in environmental data science & analytics can be a way for folks who have majored in science, ecology & environmental science to acquire technical skills and/or explore unique fields. Within our listings, we noticed that many graduate certificates deal with specialist topics, including:

• Resource Commodity Analytics
• Weather & Climate Analytics
• Sustainability Analytics
• Earth Data Science
• Ecological & Environmental Informatics
• Conservation Data Management and Analysis

Before enrolling in a graduate certificate program, ask yourself two questions. Can I get it subsidized by my employer? And will I be able to transfer the credits into a master’s degree?

Can You Earn a Environmental Data Science or Analytics Degree Online?

Yes, but your choices may be extremely limited. Environmental data science is still finding its feet as a discipline, and many schools are reluctant to offer programs online that involve field work. So you’re not going to see a lot of virtual options within our listings.

• In the case of SNHU’s Online Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science – Data Analytics in Science, analytics coursework is offered as a concentration within the much broader territory of environmental science.
• Unity offers an Online Master of Science in Environmental Data Analytics with asynchronous coursework and Illinois Tech has developed a 100% Online Master of Science in Weather and Climate Risk and Data Analytics with an extremely reasonable tuition rate, but these are the exceptions.

If you can’t afford to take time off work for study, consider modifying a standard online data analytics or data science degree with environmental electives, internships, and a capstone project. Plenty of universities with strong online programs also have great track records in environmental science (e.g. Columbia University). Think about how you can customize a generic degree to make it yours.

What Can You Do with a Environmental Data Science or Analytics Degree?

What Does a Job in Environmental Data Science or Analytics Look Like?

Generally speaking, you’re going to be taking on a lot of standard data analytics & data science tasks, supplemented by work in the realms of modeling, remote sensing, and GIS analysis. Here’s what a boilerplate list of job duties might look like:

• Data Collection & Management: Gather and organize environmental data from a range of sources, including field data, satellite imagery, and public databases.
• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Analyze large datasets using statistical and ML techniques to identify patterns, trends, and correlations.
• Modeling and Simulation: Develop and apply computational models to simulate environmental processes and predict future scenarios.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analysis: Use GIS software to analyze spatial data, create maps, and visualize geographic patterns.
• Remote Sensing: Deploy remote sensing technologies (e.g. satellite imagery) to monitor environmental changes and assess impacts.
• Environmental Impact Assessment: Evaluate the potential impacts of projects or natural events on the environment and propose mitigation strategies.
• Reporting and Documentation: Prepare detailed reports, presentations, and visualizations to communicate findings to stakeholders, including policymakers and the public.
• Database Management: Design and maintain databases to store and manage environmental data efficiently.
• Collaboration: Work with interdisciplinary teams—including ecologists, geologists, policy experts, and engineers—to address complex environmental issues.
• Regulation Monitoring: Keep up-to-date with advancements in data science, environmental science, and relevant regulations to ensure best practices and compliance.

However (!) your job duties will be completely dependent on your employer. An environmental data scientist working for a federal government agency may have a very different experience to someone involved in analyzing extreme weather patterns for an insurance company. As an example, here are two contrasting job descriptions taken from real life:

• Senior Environmental Data Analyst (Walt Disney Resort): Support environmental reporting related to emissions, water, and waste; provide expert data-driven decision-making support to the PMO Emissions Scope 1 and 2 and Water Conservation; create metric dashboards to analyze visual representations of resource management goals; stay current on sustainability reporting frameworks and new disclosure trends to support The Walt Disney Company reporting.
• Project Environmental Data Scientist (Geosyntec Consultants): Lead data management efforts on projects, including preparing analyses and visualizations using GIS applications, and developing and maintaining environmental databases; have advanced proficiency in use of accepted technical software, including Earthsoft EQuIS and/or ESRI ArcGIS, and support multidisciplinary project teams with data management and analysis services; plan and implement technical scope on projects, budgeting, and budget management, with adherence to schedule, quality, client satisfaction, and profitability.

Industries Hiring Environmental Data Science & Analytics Grads

You’ll find environmental data scientists and analytics professionals lurking in the strangest places. We’ve already highlighted the Magic Kingdom. But you’ll also find them working for:

• Local, state & federal government agencies
• Environmental consulting companies
• Global consulting companies doing environmental work (e.g. Tetra Tech)
• Environmental software & data companies (e.g. EarthSoft, Watershed, Planet, Dendra, Earthly, etc.)
• Energy companies (e.g. oil & gas) that are diversifying and investing in climate mitigation start-ups
• Natural resource agencies
• Agricultural, forestry & fishery industries
• Resource management companies
• Non-profits & NGOs
• Climate institutes
• University research institutes
• Companies with a vested interest in climate change (e.g. insurance)
• Companies with sustainability targets (e.g. banks)

Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics’s state and city maps for Environmental Scientists & Specialists to see how this plays out. It’s a “no brainer” that big states like California, Florida, and Washington will have work for environmental science professionals. These places are rich in natural resources and research institutes.

Yet states with highest concentration of environmental scientists & specialists tend to be energy-driven (e.g. Alaska, Wyoming & New Mexico) or government-focused (e.g. Washington DC). You’ll see the same trend when you look at cities. Think of metropolitan areas like Boulder, Trenton, Carson City, Cheyenne, Fairbanks, and Santa Fe.

5 Key Career Tips from the Pros

Before you make any decisions about your education, talk to the experts. AI queries and Reddit career threads can give you an overview of work in environmental data science & analytics, but a real person is going to be a much more valuable source of information. Here are 5 career tips that will save you time & money.

1. Research Job Duties: Use AI to scan current postings for our list of job titles and ask it to list typical job responsibilities. There will be pros & cons to each role. For example, some environmental consulting positions involve field work. Anyone working on sustainability analysis for big business may be reading a lot of research papers & writing technical documents. Remember, too, that job titles can be quite broad for this field. As one Reddit contributor points out: “A lot of environmental analytics is done by the very scientists that study the environment.”
2. Create a Portfolio on GitHub: Don’t wait for graduation to start building real-world credibility. Chat to professors and experts about what kinds of data-focused projects & visualizations would help solve existing problems (and impress hiring committees). Then get yourself onto GitHub and build your own projects. We’ve included links to openly available data sources in our Resources section to get you started.
3. Connect with Passionate Researchers: You’ll find them in places like the USRA’s Environmental Data Science group within the USRA Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS) and university-led organizations like CU Boulder’s Environmental Data Science Innovation & Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) or UWM’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Sure, they publish papers, offer internships, and run hackathons & events. But they can also guide you in making sensible career decisions.
4. Fill Your Knowledge Gaps: Data scientists tend to be self-starters. Many go beyond traditional academic degrees to take part in bootcamps, online courses (e.g. Data Camp, Coursera & Udemy), internships, and fellowships (e.g. Insight Data Science Fellows Program for post-doctoral students). If you’d like to understand how data are collected, you may want to spend some time doing field work. Check out the list of internships in our Resources section for ideas on how to get started.
5. Understand the Limits of the Industry: As one environmental consultant on Reddit notes: “From what I’ve seen the consulting industry has a huge range in data maturity, within one company you may have projects that are stuck 20 years in the past doing everything by hand while other projects are on the forefront of data pipelines and advanced analytics.” When it comes to technical sophistication & resources, non-profits and NGOs are often lagging behind for-profit corporations.

Environmental Data Science Job Titles & Salary Numbers

Sample Job Titles for Environmental Data Science or Analytics Majors

Here are a few of the most common job titles for folks with an environmental data science or environmental analytics degree. We recommend you use AI tools to scan current job openings for these titles and summarize the job responsibilities. That way you can decide if the technical work is ringing your bell!

As we’ve mentioned, the industry will also affect your duties. A GIS/Cultural Resources Specialist working for a university research unit in Guam will have a different life to a GIS Specialist working within an Illinois forest preserve district.

• Ecological Forecasting Specialist
• Ecosystem Modeler
• Environmental Consultant
• Environmental Data Analyst
• Environmental Data Scientist
• Environmental Modeler
• Environmental Planner
• Environmental Research Analyst
• Environmental Scientist
• Geospatial Analyst
• GIS Data Engineer
• GIS Specialist
• Land Use & Resource Planner
• Remote Sensing Specialist
• Statistician
• Sustainability Data Analyst

Salary Numbers for Environmental Data Science & Analytics Professionals

Traditional salary sites like Glassdoor and Payscale can give you ballpark figures for job titles. But it’s worth taking a look at the state & city wage maps created by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It consistently tracks salary data on:

• Environmental Scientists & Specialists
• Data Scientists
• Operations Research Analysts

For example, if you look at the wage maps for environmental scientists, you’ll notice that:

• The best salaries can be found in Washington DC, the Northeast corridor, California, and the energy-driven state of Colorado. However, these wages may be offset by a higher cost of living.
• Chemical wholesalers, pharmaceutical wholesalers, and oil & gas pay some of the highest salaries in the country. However, you may feel like you’re selling a part of your soul by working for these industries.
• Federal government employers pay significantly more than state government employers. They even pay more than consulting companies. Keep in mind that federal jobs may expect you to have a strong research background.

Environmental Data Science & Analytics FAQ

What’s the Difference Between Degrees in Environmental Analytics and Environmental Analysis?

Anyone interested in field work and getting grubby should take a look at environmental analysis degrees—they are more interdisciplinary and considerably less technical than environmental data science & analytics programs. Here’s a quick rundown of the differences:

• Environmental Analysis: Environmental analysis deploys scientific and statistical methods to study environmental conditions, impacts, and issues. Think of concerns like air & water quality, soil contamination, biodiversity, and ecological health. Analysts may be involved in field work, sampling, direct observation, and laboratory analysis to gather data; they may also be tasked with interpreting laws and regulations related to environmental protection. After assessing the state of the environment and the effects of various activities on natural systems, analysts can create environmental impact reports & conservation plans.
• Environmental Analytics: Environmental analytics is devoted to the application of data science, statistical methods, and computational techniques to analyze & interpret environmental data. This technical field employs the use of advanced tools such as big data, machine learning, and predictive modeling to extract insights and support data-driven decision-making. And while environmental analysis encompasses a wide range of approaches, environmental analytics is much more concerned with digging into large datasets to uncover trends and inform strategic decisions. This is a field for those who love computing.

Should I Major in Environmental Data Science as an Undergraduate?

It’s a tricky question to answer. Environmental data science is still playing catch up to more data-sophisticated industries (e.g. finance), so jobs may not be as plentiful when you graduate.

• If you’re completely in love with the subject and can’t think of anything else you’d rather be doing, then it’s a reasonable decision. But you’ll need to be committed to networking with companies, being proactive with internships, and looking into advanced research while you’re still an undergraduate.
• Alternatively, you could consider choosing one of the data science degrees in our listings that offers environmental studies as a concentration. First you’ll be able to see how data science & analytics can be deployed within a wide range of industries. Then you can get stuck into exploring environmental data and applications. For example, NC State offers a Master of Science in Foundations of Data Science (MSDFS) and it runs the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS) with data-focused internships.

Do I Need a Master’s Degree for a Job in Environmental Data Science or Analytics?

Nope. If you look at current job openings for environmental analytics & data science professionals, the standard education requirement is a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree may be preferred or required once you get to senior-level positions, but this stipulation will vary from company to company. Generally speaking, employers are going to be a lot more interested in your real-world work experience and technical skill sets.

What Technical Skill Sets Should I Be Acquiring?

You should be comfortable with data analysis, statistical software, database management, SQL, data visualization tools (e.g. Power BI & Tableau), and programming languages (e.g. R and Python). As one Reddit contributor points out: “Python is big for GIS where R is bigger in things like quantitative biology for population dynamics, etc.” Employers will be looking for folks with expertise in AI and Machine Learning (ML).

A job in environmental data science may also involve GIS tools (e.g. Esri ArcGIS), field-specific software (e.g. Earthsoft EQuIS), remote sensing technologies, computational modeling, and knowledge of environmental regulations & metrics (e.g. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing).

Check out this Interview with an Environmental Data Scientist to learn what skill sets she has acquired in her career. Remember, too, that you can run an AI analysis on your chosen job titles to learn what’s standard in today’s employment market.

Environmental Data Science Resources & Organizations

Career & Job Sites

• EcoJobs
• EnvironmentalScience.org
• Green Jobs Network
• USAJobs.gov (Federal Openings)

Certifications

• Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
• Esri ArcGIS Certifications

Conferences & Networking Events

• Esri User Conference
• International Conference on Environmental Data Management (ICEDM)
• International Conference on Environmental Informatics (ICEI)
• International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology (ICEST)

Environmental Data Sources

• Environmental Data Initiative (EDI)
• European Space Agency’s (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (CCI)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Global Forest Watch
• OpenEI
• OpenWeatherMap
• NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
• Protected Planet
• WorldClim

Internships

• AECOM Summer Internship Program
• Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Internship Program
• Department of Energy (DOE) Internships
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Internships
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Internships
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Data Science Summer Institute (DSSI)
• Mosaics in Science Internships
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Internships
• National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) Internships
• Ocean Health Index (OHI) Fellows Program
• RIACS Environmental Analytics Internships
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Internship Program

Journals

• Big Earth Data
• Ecological Informatics
• Environmental Data Science
• Environmental Modelling & Software
• International Journal of Geographical Information Science (IJGIS)
• Journal of Environmental Informatics (JEI)
• Remote Sensing

Organizations & Associations

• Climate Change AI Initiative
• Earth Science Data Professionals (ESIP)
• Ecological Society of America (ESA)
• Environmental Data & Governance Initiative (EDGI)
• International Environmental Modelling & Software Society (iEMSs)
• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)

Scholarships

• Association for Women Geoscientists (AWG) Scholarships
• Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) Scholarships – Waste Management
• Garden Club of America (GCA) Scholarships & Fellowships
• Society of American Foresters (SAF) Scholarships
• Udall Undergraduate Scholarship