Georgia is one of the prettiest states in the country. We've got it all… the Blue Ridge; rivers like the Suwannee and Chattahoochee that run long and cool and beautiful; unique and distinct barrier islands like the Golden Isles; and of course the ocean itself, a short but influential stretch of coastline mixing estuaries and marshland with beaches and grasslands.
We have plenty of fauna to go along with all that, too, including the greatest number of snakes per square mile in the entire country… take that, Arizona!
The gifts we've been given in rich and fertile cropland make the state an agricultural hub, but it doesn't stay that way by itself. Careful management is required and environmental scientists are the people with the expertise to handle it.
What Can I Do with an Environmental Science Degree in Georgia
As in most parts of the country, the state itself is a large and reliable employer of environmental science professionals. You can find environmental positions in such diverse agencies as the Georgia Department of Revenue (which handles everything from vehicle registration to timber taxes) and the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources.
The Environmental Protection Agency's Region 4 headquarters are in Atlanta, so there are many federal environmental science positions open here as well.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental scientists here earn an average salary of almost $70,000 a year, while hydrologists and atmospheric scientists can easily break into six-figures.
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job growth projections for Environmental Scientists and Specialists and reflect state data not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed September 2021.
Master's in Environmental Science in Georgia
Technology-focused universities are often some of the best places to study the environmental sciences, and in Georgia, that means Georgia Tech. The Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department has a professional track master's of science degree in atmospheric sciences that you can blast through in nine months, coming out the other side with all the necessary educational requirements to join the American Meteorological Society.
If a leading private research university is more your speed, then Atlanta's Emory University is the place to be. The master's program in environmental science is available as either a stand-alone degree, or as the tail-end of an accelerated 4+1 program that allows you to earn both your BS and MS in as few as five years from this acclaimed school.
Bachelor's in Environmental Science in Georgia
There's no question that the University of Georgia dominates discussion of environmental science programs at the undergraduate level in Georgia. With more than twenty bachelor's programs offered through the school's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, you get a range of options, everything from environmental resource science to dairy science. Close connections with the large agricultural community in the state makes UGA an easy choice for any student interested in land management or applied biosciences.
For a smaller and more intimate program with an equally affordable price tag, Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville offers another option from the University of Georgia system. A BS in Environmental Science there is available with either natural science or social science concentrations. Either choice has plenty of opportunities for either extending your education with a master's degree, or finding employment right here in the great state of Georgia.
