Sustainability Studies at Miami University-Oxford

Miami University-Oxford's sustainability studies program sits at the median nationally for starting earnings, but there's an important advantage hiding in the debt numbers. While graduates earn $37,223 in their first year—solidly average for this field—they're leaving with debt that ranks in the 25th percentile, meaning 75% of comparable programs saddle students with more debt. That 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, particularly for a field not known for high early-career salaries.

Among Ohio's seven sustainability programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings—above the state median. Combined with the relatively controlled debt load, that makes this a stronger option than most in-state alternatives. The real question is whether sustainability studies as a field aligns with your financial expectations: nationally, even top programs only reach about $42,000 in first-year earnings.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary significantly. But if your child is committed to this career path and values the residential campus experience at Oxford, the controlled debt load makes this a reasonable choice within a field where six-figure salaries aren't the norm.