Natural Resources Management and Policy at Everglades University

A typical Natural Resources Management bachelor's program nationally leaves graduates with $25,000 in debt, but Everglades University students carry nearly double that at $47,000—placing this among the most expensive 5% of programs in the country. While first-year earnings of $41,859 outpace both national and Florida medians by about $3,000-4,000, that advantage doesn't offset the debt load. The 1.12 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates start their careers owing more than a full year's salary, a concerning threshold for a field not known for rapid salary growth.

The small sample size here matters. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few high earners or students with unusual financial aid packages could skew these figures significantly. Still, the debt number is striking: it's $13,000 above the Florida median for this program and nearly twice the national benchmark. Florida Gulf Coast University, for comparison, produces Natural Resources Management graduates earning $30,818 with presumably lower debt burdens given it's a public institution.

If your child is passionate about environmental policy and specifically interested in Everglades' approach, investigate why the debt runs so high and whether scholarships could substantially reduce that burden. At these debt levels, the program needs to deliver exceptional career outcomes to justify the cost premium over in-state public alternatives.