Sustainability Studies

CIP Code: 30.3301

A sustainability studies degree prepares graduates for careers in Natural sciences managers, Social scientists and related workers, all other, Environmental science teachers, postsecondary and more. 226 colleges and universities offer this program.

Annual Degrees Awarded
4,374
Colleges Offering 226
Avg. Career Salary $88,618
Top Career Salary $161,180

Sustainability Studies Salary by College

Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $57,887 four years after graduating (middle half: $37,231–$77,143). Where you study it matters: across 17 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $41,979 to $85,545.

Sort by:

#College4 yrs afterWage-adjusted1 yr afterMedian debtOutcome Rating
1Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY$85,545$81,421$53,957$18,070A+
2University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville, WI$73,238$76,208$59,089$23,127B
3Western Washington University Bellingham, WA$70,793$65,114$41,600$19,086C+
4University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL$63,604$62,490$50,678$17,750A+
5University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Durham, NH$62,388$57,466$43,090$27,000B
6University of Florida Gainesville, FL$61,281$65,226$39,261$15,000A+
7George Mason University Fairfax, VA$61,216$55,743$39,329$24,670B+
8Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI$60,285$63,564$29,399—C
10Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH$59,660$63,666$37,223$22,370B
9Miami University-Hamilton Hamilton, OH$59,660$63,666$37,223$22,370C
11Stockton University Galloway, NJ$59,472$52,198——C
12University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA$58,463$53,197$30,698$19,333B+
13SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY$55,148$52,489$32,409$19,008C+
14The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX$54,430$55,339$35,255$17,750A+
15Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs, CO$52,293$48,904$31,734$10,188C+
16Hofstra University Hempstead, NY$43,733$41,625——B+
17Montana State University Bozeman, MT$41,979$45,855$22,296—C+

Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.

What Can You Do With a Sustainability Studies Degree?

Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:

Natural sciences managers

$161,180 +3.7% growth

Social scientists and related workers, all other

$100,340 -1.7% growth

Environmental science teachers, postsecondary

$87,710 +2.9% growth

Urban and regional planners

$83,720 +3.4% growth

Environmental scientists and specialists, including health

$80,060 +4.4% growth

Postsecondary teachers, all other

$78,490 +1.8% growth

Conservation scientists

$67,950 +3.4% growth

Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

$49,490 +4.0% growth
$88,618
Average Salary Across Careers
$161,180
Highest Paying Career
8
Career Paths Available

Best Colleges for Sustainability Studies

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in sustainability studies.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 67 A+
2 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 379 A
3 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 329 A
4 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 122 A
5 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 93 A
6 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 71 A
7 University of Georgia Athens, GA 55 A
8 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 53 A
9 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 46 A
10 Stanford University Stanford, CA 37 A
11 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 174 B+
12 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 129 B+
13 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 80 B+
14 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA 72 B+
15 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 66 B+
16 University of South Florida Tampa, FL 60 B+
17 Florida International University Miami, FL 52 B+
18 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 48 B+
19 Georgetown University Washington, DC 44 B+
20 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA 36 B+
21 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 137 B
22 University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL 87 B
23 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA 64 B
24 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 58 B
25 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 57 B
26 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 55 B
27 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK 55 B
28 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 45 B
29 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 42 B
30 Iowa State University Ames, IA 38 B

Largest Sustainability Studies Programs

Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most sustainability studies graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 379 A
2 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 329 A
3 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 174 B+
4 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 137 B
5 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 129 B+
6 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 122 A
7 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 93 A
8 University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL 87 B
9 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 80 B+
10 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA 72 B+
11 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 71 A
12 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 67 A+
13 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ 66 B+
14 Western Washington University Bellingham, WA 64 B
15 University of South Florida Tampa, FL 60 B+
16 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 58 B
17 University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 57 B
18 University of Georgia Athens, GA 55 A
19 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Norman, OK 55 B
20 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 55 B
21 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 53 A
22 Florida International University Miami, FL 52 B+
23 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 48 B+
24 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 46 A
25 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 45 B
26 Georgetown University Washington, DC 44 B+
27 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO 42 B
28 Allegheny College Meadville, PA 42 C+
29 Presidio Graduate School San Francisco, CA 42 C
30 Iowa State University Ames, IA 38 B
4,374
Degrees Awarded Annually
226
Colleges Offering Program
8
Related Careers

About Sustainability Studies

Sustainability Studies is a degree program offered at 226 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 4,374 students graduate with this degree.

Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as natural sciences managers, social scientists and related workers, all other, environmental science teachers, postsecondary, urban and regional planners, environmental scientists and specialists, including health, and 3 more career paths.

Program Classification

CIP Code 30.3301
Field (2-digit CIP) 30
Category (4-digit CIP) 30.33

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with a Sustainability Studies degree?
A Sustainability Studies degree can lead to careers as a natural sciences managers, social scientists and related workers, all other, environmental science teachers, postsecondary, urban and regional planners, environmental scientists and specialists, including health, and more. Top earners in related careers can make up to $161,180 annually.
How many colleges offer Sustainability Studies?
226 colleges and universities in the United States offer Sustainability Studies as a degree program. Each year, approximately 4,374 students graduate with this degree.
What are the best colleges for Sustainability Studies?
The best colleges for Sustainability Studies based on Repit's ratings include University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Florida. Rankings are based on the college's overall Repit grade and the number of degrees awarded in this program.
What is the salary potential with a Sustainability Studies degree?
Graduates with a Sustainability Studies degree can expect average salaries around $88,618 in related careers, with top earners making up to $161,180. Actual salaries depend on the specific career path, experience level, and location.