Natural Resources Conservation and Research at American University

American University's natural resources program graduates earn $46,780 in their first year—substantially more than the national median of $34,000, placing it in the 95th percentile nationally. That sounds impressive until you zoom in to DC, where it actually trails the local median of $49,000 and lags behind George Washington's $51,200. This matters because many students choose American specifically for its Washington location and environmental policy connections.

The debt picture is genuinely strong: $26,905 is lower than both national and DC medians, resulting in a 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio that's quite manageable for an environmental field graduate. Students aren't overleveraging themselves for these outcomes, which provides important breathing room for the kind of nonprofit or public sector work common in this field.

However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates—means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. For a family banking on DC's environmental job market as the value proposition, these earnings suggest American provides solid access but not necessarily a premium compared to other DC options. The reasonable debt load is the real win, making this workable even if your student pursues mission-driven work at entry-level NGO salaries.