Sustainability Studies at Miami University-Hamilton

Miami University-Hamilton's sustainability program sits squarely in the middle nationally for earnings, but its real advantage is debt management. At $23,047, graduates carry roughly $3,000 less debt than the national median for this major—placing this program in the 25th percentile for debt burden. That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, meaning graduates owe about 7.5 months of their first-year salary. Among Ohio's sustainability programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, performing better than most in-state alternatives.

The $37,200 starting salary is modest but not alarming for an emerging field like sustainability. The lower debt load partially compensates for these entry-level wages, making monthly loan payments more manageable. Worth noting: the sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), so these figures could shift as more data becomes available. The 30% Pell grant enrollment suggests this campus serves price-conscious students, which aligns with the lower debt outcomes.

For families weighing this program, the question is whether your child can leverage sustainability into a growth trajectory—many in this field start modestly but advance as organizations expand their environmental initiatives. The controlled debt here buys breathing room during those early career years, which matters more in developing fields than established ones.