# Most Affordable Online Master's in Environmental Science

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-06-15 | Schools: 50 | Category: Online Masters
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-online-masters-environmental-science

## Methodology

Most affordable online master's in Environmental Science ranked by net price and program quality

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

The landscape of online education is broad, especially when it comes to master's programs in Environmental Science. With many professionals looking to advance their careers, cost and quality are key factors in choosing the right program. In fact, the average earnings for graduates in this field hover around $59,987, highlighting the importance of selecting a school that balances affordability and return on investment.

What sets the top schools apart in this ranking is a combination of net price, graduation rates, and post-graduation earnings. For example, the University of Florida-Online offers the highest earnings of $71,588 and an impressive graduation rate of 81%. In contrast, some options like Bryant & Stratton College-Online have lower earnings and graduation rates, which can significantly impact a student's future financial situation.

Take University of Florida-Online and University of Arkansas Grantham as examples. While Florida graduates earn $71,588 with a graduation rate of 81%, Arkansas students earn only $63,496 and have a graduation rate of just 32%. This stark difference illustrates the potential trade-offs in choosing a more affordable program versus one that offers stronger outcomes. Keep scrolling to explore the full list and see how other schools compare.

## Key Findings

- University of Florida-Online graduates earn $71,588, the highest in this ranking.
- The average graduation rate across these schools is just 36%.
- University of Arkansas Grantham students face $21,956 in average debt despite lower earnings.
- Bryant & Stratton College-Online graduates earn only $32,568, the lowest on this list.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 2 | [Empire State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/empire-state-university) | Saratoga Springs, NY | 34% | $54,080 | $11,676 | $18,730 | 0.35x |
| 3 | [Louisiana State University-Shreveport](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/louisiana-state-university-shreveport) | Shreveport, LA | 35% | $47,477 | $7,022 | $22,500 | 0.47x |
| 4 | [Pennsylvania State University-World Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-world-campus) | University Park, PA | 34% | $63,435 | $19,550 | $25,000 | 0.39x |
| 5 | [Southeastern Oklahoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeastern-oklahoma-state-university) | Durant, OK | 32% | $45,079 | $8,039 | $17,000 | 0.38x |
| 6 | [Ave Maria University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ave-maria-university) | Ave Maria, FL | 55% | $49,520 | $24,860 | $20,776 | 0.42x |
| 7 | [Belhaven University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/belhaven-university) | Jackson, MS | 50% | $46,440 | $15,676 | $26,333 | 0.57x |
| 8 | [Lamar University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lamar-university) | Beaumont, TX | 37% | $49,652 | $9,366 | $21,250 | 0.43x |
| 9 | [University of West Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-florida) | Pensacola, FL | 60% | $49,137 | $9,364 | $16,624 | 0.34x |
| 10 | [Virginia Union University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-union-university) | Richmond, VA | 39% | $38,275 | $13,235 | $29,000 | 0.76x |
| 11 | [University of North Carolina at Pembroke](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke) | Pembroke, NC | 44% | $43,407 | $10,260 | $25,000 | 0.58x |
| 12 | [Jackson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/jackson-college) | Jackson, MI | 17% | $36,898 | $7,761 | $13,875 | 0.38x |
| 13 | [Eastern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eastern-university) | Saint Davids, PA | 55% | $51,655 | $26,662 | $25,000 | 0.48x |
| 14 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 15 | [The University of Texas Permian Basin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-permian-basin) | Odessa, TX | 42% | $56,073 | $12,723 | $17,750 | 0.32x |
| 16 | [Blackfeet Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/blackfeet-community-college) | Browning, MT | 37% | $22,953 | $5,410 | N/A | N/A |
| 17 | [Emporia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emporia-state-university) | Emporia, KS | 55% | $47,601 | $16,261 | $19,500 | 0.41x |
| 18 | [Northern Kentucky University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university) | Highland Heights, KY | 50% | $50,220 | $8,191 | $23,000 | 0.46x |
| 19 | [University of West Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-west-georgia) | Carrollton, GA | 43% | $49,587 | $12,786 | $23,970 | 0.48x |
| 20 | [Chadron State College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chadron-state-college) | Chadron, NE | 44% | $47,002 | $12,549 | $18,875 | 0.4x |
| 21 | [Wilkes University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wilkes-university) | Wilkes-Barre, PA | 62% | $63,454 | $27,743 | $26,000 | 0.41x |
| 22 | [Fayetteville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fayetteville-state-university) | Fayetteville, NC | 37% | $40,144 | $7,892 | $22,987 | 0.57x |
| 23 | [Fort Hays State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university) | Hays, KS | 48% | $48,928 | $12,569 | $21,000 | 0.43x |
| 24 | [Southern Utah University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-utah-university) | Cedar City, UT | 60% | $50,296 | $10,462 | $12,500 | 0.25x |
| 25 | [Sul Ross State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sul-ross-state-university) | Alpine, TX | 29% | $41,871 | $13,286 | $15,900 | 0.38x |
| 26 | [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/johns-hopkins-university) | Baltimore, MD | 94% | $87,555 | $18,809 | $10,250 | 0.12x |
| 27 | [University of Illinois Springfield](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-springfield) | Springfield, IL | 57% | $57,103 | $9,833 | $19,128 | 0.33x |
| 28 | [Foothill College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/foothill-college) | Los Altos Hills, CA | 58% | $57,072 | $7,653 | $10,500 | 0.18x |
| 29 | [Wilson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wilson-college) | Chambersburg, PA | 50% | $43,326 | $21,741 | $26,328 | 0.61x |
| 30 | [Valdosta State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/valdosta-state-university) | Valdosta, GA | 42% | $49,361 | $10,945 | $24,779 | 0.5x |
| 31 | [Fitchburg State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fitchburg-state-university) | Fitchburg, MA | 54% | $53,874 | $14,262 | $24,239 | 0.45x |
| 32 | [Utica University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/utica-university) | Utica, NY | 56% | $63,277 | $19,108 | $22,500 | 0.36x |
| 33 | [University of Wisconsin-Superior](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-superior) | Superior, WI | 43% | $49,606 | $12,220 | $22,500 | 0.45x |
| 34 | [East Texas A&M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-texas-am-university) | Commerce, TX | 44% | $50,296 | $11,841 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 35 | [Wesleyan College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wesleyan-college) | Macon, GA | 50% | $44,317 | $12,724 | $24,094 | 0.54x |
| 36 | [Northeastern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-state-university) | Tahlequah, OK | 36% | $45,379 | $12,710 | $17,367 | 0.38x |
| 37 | [Black Hills State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/black-hills-state-university) | Spearfish, SD | 40% | $46,674 | $15,911 | $26,000 | 0.56x |
| 38 | [University of North Dakota](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-dakota) | Grand Forks, ND | 62% | $63,552 | $18,551 | $22,057 | 0.35x |
| 39 | [Old Dominion University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/old-dominion-university) | Norfolk, VA | 45% | $54,914 | $14,638 | $24,000 | 0.44x |
| 40 | [Clayton  State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clayton-state-university) | Morrow, GA | 38% | $49,179 | $8,365 | $25,706 | 0.52x |
| 41 | [Siena Heights University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/siena-heights-university) | Adrian, MI | 45% | $57,529 | $17,124 | $18,750 | 0.33x |
| 42 | [Mount Vernon Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-vernon-nazarene-university) | Mount Vernon, OH | 66% | $49,555 | $22,421 | $25,000 | 0.5x |
| 43 | [Shasta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shasta-college) | Redding, CA | 26% | $39,269 | $2,878 | $14,250 | 0.36x |
| 44 | [University of Nebraska at Kearney](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-nebraska-at-kearney) | Kearney, NE | 59% | $50,105 | $16,242 | $19,500 | 0.39x |
| 45 | [Northern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-state-university) | Aberdeen, SD | 51% | $47,618 | $15,812 | $22,320 | 0.47x |
| 46 | [University of Arkansas at Little Rock](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-at-little-rock) | Little Rock, AR | 42% | $45,265 | $17,248 | $22,000 | 0.49x |
| 47 | [Eastern Oregon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eastern-oregon-university) | La Grande, OR | 40% | $50,112 | $17,148 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 48 | [Concord University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/concord-university) | Athens, WV | 41% | $42,703 | $9,966 | $18,900 | 0.44x |
| 49 | [Notre Dame of Maryland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/notre-dame-of-maryland-university) | Baltimore, MD | 51% | $65,344 | $19,169 | $22,666 | 0.35x |
| 50 | [William Paterson University of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-paterson-university-of-new-jersey) | Wayne, NJ | 46% | $57,780 | $18,745 | $22,334 | 0.39x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Most Affordable Online Master's in Environmental Science." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-06-15. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-online-masters-environmental-science

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.