Nature Sciences Schools and Programs in The United States

Nature Sciences Studies in The United States

"Nature sciences" or natural sciences covers the study of the living and physical world: biology and ecology, earth and environmental science, wildlife and conservation, and the field-based study of natural history. In the United States these subjects are usually taught within colleges of arts and sciences or in specialised schools of natural resources and the environment. Most of the schools on this page are universities and liberal arts colleges; a few community colleges offer the first two years.

How the degree is organised

US undergraduate education is based on the liberal arts and sciences, so a bachelor's degree in a natural science combines a major with general courses in other fields. EducationUSA, the US State Department's advising network, notes that the bachelor's degree is usually completed in four years of full-time study and that students often declare their major only at the end of the second year. Common majors include biology, ecology, environmental science, geosciences, natural resources, and fish and wildlife biology; the exact name differs from school to school.

• Associate of Science (AS): two years at a community college, often followed by transfer to a university
• Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA): about four years
• Master's degree: usually two years, with coursework and often a research thesis
• Doctorate (PhD): five to eight years according to EducationUSA, centred on original research

Fieldwork is a large part of these degrees. At Colorado State University, most undergraduate majors in the Warner College of Natural Resources require a four- or five-week summer field training programme (five or six credits), held at the university's Mountain Campus, 55 miles west of Fort Collins. The college groups its departments into ecosystem science and sustainability; fish, wildlife and conservation biology; forest and rangeland stewardship; geosciences; and the human dimensions of natural resources.

Where to study natural sciences in the United States

The subject is taught across the country, from large research universities to small colleges. Examples from the schools in this directory:

• Colorado State University (Fort Collins), with its Warner College of Natural Resources
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies offers an undergraduate Environmental Studies major that integrates the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities
• Hope College (Holland, Michigan), whose Natural and Applied Sciences Division includes biology, chemistry and geological and environmental science, and stresses learning "science by doing science"
• Mars Hill University (North Carolina), which lists a zoology major and a natural history minor
• University of California, Davis; The University of Texas at Austin; Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore) and University of Pittsburgh among the larger research universities
• Black Hills State University (Spearfish, South Dakota) and Bismarck State College (North Dakota) in the northern plains

Community colleges such as Bergen Community College (Paramus, New Jersey), Gulf Coast State College (Panama City, Florida) and College of Southern Idaho (Twin Falls) offer two-year associate degrees. EducationUSA describes the "2+2" route, in which two years at a community college are followed by two years at a university to earn a bachelor's degree.

Admission, visa and recognition

Applicants apply directly to each college or university. EducationUSA states that US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission and advises starting the search 12 to 18 months before the intended start. Degree students study on an F student visa, which is issued for study at an accredited college or university. Recognition of credits and degrees by other institutions and employers is linked to the institution's accreditation, so it is worth checking that a school is accredited by a recognised agency.

Costs

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), average tuition and fees at 4-year institutions in 2022-23 were $9,800 at public institutions and $40,700 at private nonprofit institutions. The public figure uses in-state rates; international students usually pay the higher out-of-state rate. Laboratory and field courses can add fees. EducationUSA notes that international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Careers

Graduates work in environmental consulting, government agencies, conservation organisations, research and teaching. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says environmental scientists and specialists typically need a bachelor's degree in a natural science or a related field; their median annual wage was $82,220 in May 2025, and employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. Zoologists and wildlife biologists typically need a bachelor's degree for entry-level jobs, may need a master's for higher-level jobs and typically need a PhD to lead research; their median wage was $76,780 in May 2025.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a natural sciences degree take in the United States?

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study, a master's about two years and a PhD five to eight years.

Can I start at a community college?

Yes. Many students complete a two-year Associate of Science and then transfer to a university to finish a bachelor's degree, the "2+2" route described by EducationUSA.

Is fieldwork required?

Often. Colorado State University, for example, requires most natural resources majors to complete a summer field training programme of four or five weeks.

Do I need a master's degree to work in the field?

Not always. According to the BLS, a bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for environmental scientists and for entry-level wildlife biology jobs, while research leadership usually requires a PhD.