Environmental Design degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 65 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for environmental design students pursuing a degree.
Learn to fit environmental standards into your business practices when you earn your sustainability and environmental compliance MBA at Southern New Hampshire University.
Where you study environmental design matters for your future. To help, we created our Best Environmental Design Schools rankings. For our Best Overall Environmental Design School ranking, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
We offer several rankings, including this Best Environmental Design Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Learn to fit environmental standards into your business practices when you earn your sustainability and environmental compliance MBA at Southern New Hampshire University.
Harvard University tops our 2026 ranking of the best environmental design schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Cambridge. About 98% of students finish within six years. About 43 environmental design degrees were awarded at Harvard University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, environmental design degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $95,207. Harvard University graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
Get the full environmental design details for Harvard University
A rank of #2 makes Auburn University one of the top schools for environmental design. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 82%. There were roughly 38 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at Auburn University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from Auburn University earn around $44,929 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,375 to complete this degree.
See the full environmental design program report for Auburn University
Students looking for a strong environmental design program will find one at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #3. This very large public university is located in the city of Raleigh. About 85% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 61 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at North Carolina State University At Raleigh in the most recent data year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn around $59,622 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $25,759 to complete this degree.
Get the full environmental design details for North Carolina State University At Raleigh
A rank of #4 makes University Of California Berkeley one of the top schools for environmental design. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Berkeley awarded about 25 environmental design degrees in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. University Of California Berkeley graduates carry a median of $14,238 in student loans.
Read more about the environmental design program at University Of California Berkeley
Stony Brook University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in environmental design, ranking #5. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 17 environmental design degrees were awarded at Stony Brook University in the most recent year. Graduates of the environmental design program make about $60,047 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $20,537 to complete this degree.
Get the full environmental design details for Stony Brook University
University Of Colorado Boulder ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best environmental design schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Boulder. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. About 137 environmental design degrees were awarded at University Of Colorado Boulder in the most recent year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from University Of Colorado Boulder earn around $42,401 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Colorado Boulder graduates carry a median of $23,641 in student loans.
More information about a degree in environmental design from University Of Colorado Boulder
University At Buffalo landed the #7 spot for environmental design this year. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. There were roughly 49 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at University At Buffalo in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $37,952 early in their careers. University At Buffalo graduates carry a median of $19,669 in student loans.
Read more about the environmental design program at University At Buffalo
The University Of Texas At San Antonio ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best environmental design schools. Located in the city of San Antonio, The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a very large public university. Roughly 53% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 10 environmental design degrees were awarded at The University Of Texas At San Antonio in the most recent year. Environmental Design graduates of The University Of Texas At San Antonio earn a median of $49,955 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,312.
Get the full environmental design details for The University Of Texas At San Antonio
North Dakota State University Main Campus earned the #9 position for environmental design this year. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public university. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. North Dakota State University Main Campus awarded about 12 environmental design degrees in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of North Dakota State University Main Campus earn a median of $54,076 early in their careers. North Dakota State University Main Campus graduates carry a median of $25,153 in student loans.
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University Of Hawaii At Manoa ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best environmental design schools. University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a very large public school located in the city of Honolulu. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. About 39 environmental design degrees were awarded at University Of Hawaii At Manoa in the most recent year. Environmental Design graduates of University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn a median of $37,849 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $22,047.
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Otis College Of Art And Design landed the #11 spot for environmental design this year. Otis College Of Art And Design is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Roughly 66% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 10 environmental design degrees were awarded at Otis College Of Art And Design in the most recent year. Environmental Design graduates of Otis College Of Art And Design earn a median of $21,440 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $28,292.
More information about a degree in environmental design from Otis College Of Art And Design
Florida Atlantic University came in at #12 for environmental design this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Boca Raton. Roughly 63% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 23 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at Florida Atlantic University in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of Florida Atlantic University earn a median of $49,340 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,250 to complete this degree.
Read more about the environmental design program at Florida Atlantic University
Arizona State University earned the #13 position for environmental design this year. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. About 68% of students finish within six years. About 22 environmental design degrees were awarded at Arizona State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the environmental design program make about $37,226 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,500.
See the full environmental design program report for Arizona State University
Utah State University earned the #14 position for environmental design this year. Located in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public university. Utah State University graduates 57% of students within six years. There were roughly 15 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at Utah State University in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of Utah State University earn a median of $50,348 early in their careers. Utah State University graduates carry a median of $16,191 in student loans.
Read more about the environmental design program at Utah State University
University Of New Mexico Main Campus came in at #15 for environmental design this year. Located in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public university. University Of New Mexico Main Campus graduates 54% of students within six years. University Of New Mexico Main Campus awarded about 15 environmental design degrees in the most recent data year. Environmental Design graduates of University Of New Mexico Main Campus earn a median of $49,983 early in their careers. University Of New Mexico Main Campus graduates carry a median of $19,738 in student loans.
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University Of Memphis earned the #16 position for environmental design this year. Located in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public university. About 51% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 12 environmental design students who graduated with this degree at University Of Memphis in the most recent data year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from University Of Memphis earn around $48,890 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,315.
See the full environmental design program report for University Of Memphis
Bowling Green State University Main Campus landed the #17 spot for environmental design this year. This large public university is located in the town of Bowling Green. About 61% of students finish within six years. About 36 environmental design degrees were awarded at Bowling Green State University Main Campus in the most recent year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn around $43,843 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
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University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras earned the #18 position for environmental design this year. This large public university is located in the city of San Juan. University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras graduates 50% of students within six years. About 43 environmental design degrees were awarded at University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras in the most recent year. Students who receive their environmental design degree from University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras earn around $24,881 in the first couple years of their career. University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in environmental design from University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 65 schools evaluated.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
