Environmental Scientist
Collects and analyzes information about environmental conditions, risks, and possible responses.
Environment & Sustainability
Environmental Science major, explained.
Use fieldwork, laboratory science, and data to understand environmental change.
Environmental Science explores how ecology, chemistry, earth systems, climate, water, pollution, field methods, and data reveal environmental conditions. Students commonly study Ecology, Environmental chemistry, Earth and climate systems, Field and laboratory methods, and Environmental data analysis. Programs vary by college, but the field generally combines foundational ideas with applied work so students can investigate meaningful questions, make informed decisions, and communicate what they discover.
You might enjoy this if
Notice what feels familiar.
You want to investigate environmental problems through measurable science.
You enjoy fieldwork, laboratory methods, maps, and data analysis.
You care about translating findings into practical environmental decisions.
The study experience
What the work may feel like.
Programs differ by college. These labels describe common areas of emphasis, not a score or universal rating.
Reading
Frequent
Writing
Frequent
Quantitative work
Central
Labs or hands-on work
Central
Design and making
Regular
People and collaboration
Central
Questions you may keep asking
What environmental condition is changing and what may be causing it?
Which field or laboratory measurements can test the explanation?
How should uncertainty and local context shape the response?
EcologyEnvironmental chemistryEarth and climate systemsField and laboratory methodsEnvironmental data analysis
What can you do with this major?
One major. More than one direction.
These are example connections, not guaranteed outcomes. Many careers welcome more than one major, and some require additional education or licensure.
Water Quality Specialist
Monitors water systems and helps interpret chemical, biological, and physical measurements.
Environmental Field Technician
Collects samples, operates instruments, documents sites, and supports environmental investigations.
Climate Resilience Analyst
Studies climate risks and helps organizations or communities compare adaptation options.
Environmental Science can support several career directions, and employers may welcome graduates from related fields. Practical experience, internships, projects, and additional credentials can matter alongside the degree.
Try it before college
Projects that make Environmental Science more real.
Reading helps you understand a field. A Compass project helps you discover whether you enjoy doing the work.
Each project includes a step-by-step plan, custom AI prompts, reflection guidance, and a finished creation for the student’s portfolio.
See how Compass works
Compass project
30–56 hours
Investigate the Air You Breathe
Measure how air conditions shift across time and place, then explain what the numbers can and cannot tell you.
- You will create
- local air-quality investigation and public guide
Compass project
30–56 hours
Build a Climate Risk Map for Your Community
Show how one climate hazard reaches real streets, people, and essential places.
- You will create
- community climate risk atlas
Compass project
30–56 hours
Launch a Citizen Science Field Study
Turn many small observations into a dataset that can answer one local scientific question.
- You will create
- citizen science study and open field protocol
Keep exploring
Related majors worth comparing.
Sources and important context
Compass presents a curated collection of 100 widely studied and commonly searched undergraduate majors. The collection is not a statistical ranking. Major names and CIP connections follow common US college usage and the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs. Study patterns are editorial summaries of common program structures and vary by college. Career directions are examples, not guaranteed outcomes. Students should compare actual curricula, admission rules, accreditation, and licensing requirements at colleges they are considering.
NCES CIP codes: 03.0104
- NCES Classification of Instructional ProgramsNational Center for Education Statistics. Official US taxonomy for fields of study and instructional programs.
- Field of DegreeUS Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal career exploration resources organized around broad college fields.
- O*NET OnLineUS Department of Labor. Detailed descriptions of occupations, tasks, knowledge, skills, and work activities.
Turn this interest into something real.
Explore Compass projects