Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

Colorado School of Mines produces environmental engineering graduates who earn $69,102 in their first year—substantially above the national median of $64,675 and even surpassing the 75th percentile mark. That's impressive, though worth noting this ranking drops to the 60th percentile within Colorado, where all four schools offering this program cluster around the $63,000-$69,000 range. The debt load of $23,500 translates to a 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates can theoretically pay off loans in about four months of gross income—a comfortable position for any engineering degree.

What's particularly encouraging is the earnings trajectory: graduates see a 10% salary bump by year four, reaching $75,799. Combined with the manageable debt and the school's solid engineering reputation (average SAT of 1403), this represents a sound investment for students genuinely interested in environmental engineering.

The caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary more than these numbers suggest. But the fundamentals—strong starting salary, reasonable debt, steady growth—align with what you'd expect from a respected technical school. For families comfortable with Mines' engineering-focused environment, this program offers a clear path to financial stability in a growing field.