How much does an environment professor make?
a year · about $46 an hour
A typical environment professor in the United States makes $94,980 a year, about $46 an hour, about 1.9× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They plan lessons, teach environmental topics, and grade papers or lab work. They may advise students during office hours, supervise lab or fieldwork, and work on research—so a day can move from a classroom to an outdoor study site.
Did you know? Some U.S. environmental science professors take undergraduates to Svalbard in the High Arctic to do climate-change research—not just study it in class.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $57,780 and $164,190How do you become one?
U.S. environment professors usually earn a bachelor's in environmental science or a related field, then a Ph.D.; a master's may qualify for some community-college jobs. Doctoral students conduct original research; requirements vary by school and role.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and helping and teaching
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience and qualifications can affect pay, and universities often pay more than community colleges. Location and whether a professor works full time or part time also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Kentucky ($139,110), lowest in Arkansas ($59,910).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $57,780 | $94,980 | $164,190 | about 7,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $139,110 | about 70 |
| Maryland | $131,060 | about 220 |
| Oklahoma | $113,680 | about 30 |
| Michigan | $112,730 | about 270 |
| New Mexico | $111,270 | about 50 |
Official definition: Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. Excludes “Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary” (25-1043).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1053.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251053.htm
- www.hampshire.edu/academics/faculty/steven-roof
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY