Environmental Design at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

North Dakota State's Environmental Design program lands right at the national median for both earnings and debt, with peer programs suggesting around $40,000 in first-year income against roughly $23,000 in borrowed costs. That 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio falls comfortably below the concerning 1.0 threshold, meaning graduates from similar programs typically earn nearly twice what they owe in their first year out.

The challenge is the limited visibility. As the only program of its kind in North Dakota, there's no in-state comparison point, and the small graduate cohort means actual outcomes aren't reported. What we know from the 38 comparable programs nationwide is that Environmental Design degrees tend to cluster tightly around $40,000—the 75th percentile nationally only reaches $43,500, suggesting a fairly compressed salary range regardless of where you study.

For parents weighing this investment, the estimated numbers point to manageable debt relative to early earnings. But you're essentially betting on your child matching outcomes from peer programs elsewhere, without school-specific data to confirm NDSU's track record. If your child is committed to environmental design and wants to stay in the region, the debt load appears reasonable. Just understand you're working with national averages rather than proven results from this particular program.