Best Online Master’s in Sustainability and Green Technologies 2025

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN GREEN TECHNOLOGIES

Published: Jul 1, 2021
Updated: Sep 25, 2024

Find top-ranked online master’s in green technologies degree programs to equipped students to hold managerial and supervisory positions in the consulting, marketing, finance, engineering, government, nonprofit, and technology fields.

Key Takeaways

Earning an online master’s in sustainability and green technologies will equip graduates to hold managerial and supervisory positions in the consulting, marketing, finance, engineering, government, nonprofit, and technology fields.
Sustainability and green technologies is a trending and popular field, and many colleges are pursuing sustainability innovation.
This degree covers current environmental topics, such as sustainable construction, transportation and the environment, renewable energy engineering, energy policies, and sustainable product design.

Table of Contents

Top 10 Online Master's in Sustainability & Green Technologies Degrees in 2025

Johns Hopkins University
University of Southern California
University of Arizona
+1
Pennsylvania State University
+17
Arizona State University
+18
University of Kentucky
–1
Northeastern University
–4
University of Vermont
–2
Clemson University
University of Alabama at Birmingham
–3

2025 Ranking Update

Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year.

In 2025, our ranking of the top ten best online master’s in sustainability and green technologies degrees shifted considerably. Arizona State University gained the most positions as the university put in place a new Sustainability Innovation Lab, which focuses on cutting-edge renewable energy, water conservation, and sustainable urban design projects. ASU has also strengthened partnerships with global environmental organizations, offering students more opportunities for internships and collaborative research in real-world sustainability challenges. Additionally, the program now includes new interdisciplinary courses that integrate green technologies with business and public policy, allowing students to develop solutions that can be implemented at scale. These enhancements provide students with practical experience and the skills needed to drive sustainability efforts across industries.

Featured Programs

Best Online Master’s in Green Technologies Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Sustainability Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Sustainability Studies

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Starting Salary*: $59,108
* denotes ‘annually’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	7.49%	$157,740
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other	3.57%	$95,890
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary	3.30%	$88,410
Urban and Regional Planners	4.20%	$81,800
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other	3.21%	$79,870
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	7.21%	$78,980
Conservation Scientists	5.79%	$68,750
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	6.78%	$50,660

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Natural Sciences Managers	$157,740
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other	$95,890
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary	$88,410
Urban and Regional Planners	$81,800
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other	$79,870
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	$78,980
Conservation Scientists	$68,750
Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health	$50,660

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sustainability and Green Technology Degrees

With more and more industries moving toward environmentally friendly products and technologies, earning a master’s in green technologies could advance your career in the fast-growing renewable energy and sustainability sectors.

This graduate degree will immerse you in current environmental topics, such as sustainable construction, transportation and the environment, renewable energy engineering, energy policies, and sustainable product design. Many programs also have field-based learning, where students will gain hands-on knowledge related to their specialty.

Credit hours can vary for this graduate degree, ranging from 27 to 57. Programs are available both online and on campus. Many programs also have field-based learning, where students will gain hands-on knowledge related to their specialty.

After completing the program, graduates will be equipped to hold managerial and supervisory positions in the consulting, marketing, finance, engineering, government, nonprofit, and technology fields.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s degree in earth sciences.

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Master’s in Sustainability and Green Technologies 2025

Key Takeaways

Top 10 Online Master's in Sustainability & Green Technologies Degrees in 2025

2025 Ranking Update

Featured Programs

Best Online Master’s in Green Technologies Degree Programs

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Johns Hopkins University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of Southern California

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of Arizona

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Arizona State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of Kentucky

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Northeastern University

Online Degrees

Certificate option:

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of Vermont

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Clemson University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of Alabama at Birmingham

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Michigan Technological University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Montclair State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Sam Houston State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Maharishi International University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at St. Mary's University, Texas

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Lipscomb University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Prescott College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Boston Architectural College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Lenoir–Rhyne University

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Sustainability degree at Unity Environmental University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Sustainability Degree

Sustainability Studies

Degree Level: Master's

Career Salaries

Top Industries

Frequently Asked Questions About Sustainability and Green Technology Degrees

Why get a master’s in green technologies?

What will I learn while getting a master’s in green technologies?

How many credits are needed to get a master’s in green technologies?

What can I do with a master’s in green technologies?

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Prospective Grad Students