Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management at Front Range Community College

Front Range Community College's wildlife certificate faces a unique problem: graduates earn strong first-year salaries—$36,860 beats 95% of similar programs nationally—but Colorado's wildlife job market may not sustain that momentum. While this sits at the 60th percentile within Colorado, that comparison is misleading since Front Range is currently the only institution in the state offering this specific certificate, making the "state ranking" essentially meaningless.

The debt picture looks reasonable at first glance, with a 0.53 ratio suggesting graduates earn nearly twice what they owe. However, the $19,677 debt load sits at the 95th percentile nationally, meaning it's among the highest debt burdens for this type of certificate program. That's concerning for a credential that typically leads to outdoor recreation or conservation work—fields not known for rapid salary growth. The combination of above-average debt with a career path that often requires geographic flexibility creates financial pressure that could limit where graduates can afford to work.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could swing dramatically year to year. For a parent evaluating this investment, the question is whether a $20,000 certificate makes sense when the wildlife field typically values either associate degrees or bachelor's credentials, and when entry-level earnings may not leave much room for aggressive debt repayment.