Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at Old Dominion University

Engineering degrees typically deliver strong financial returns, and environmental engineering appears no different—comparable programs nationwide produce first-year earnings around $64,675, roughly matching what you might expect from Old Dominion's program. With estimated debt of $21,941, that translates to a debt burden of just 34% of first year income, well within the range financial advisors consider manageable for STEM graduates.

The challenge here is that Old Dominion is the only school in Virginia offering this specific bachelor's program, leaving no local comparison points. Nationally, environmental engineering sits in a solid middle tier among engineering disciplines—not the premium salaries of petroleum or computer engineering, but respectable compensation for work that often appeals to students interested in sustainability and public health. The 91% admission rate and moderate SAT scores suggest Old Dominion isn't exceptionally selective, but engineering programs tend to be self-selecting regardless of institutional admission standards.

For a student genuinely interested in environmental systems and willing to handle rigorous math and science coursework, the estimated financial profile looks reasonable. The bigger question is whether your child has explored what environmental engineers actually do day-to-day—it's often regulatory compliance work, site remediation, and water treatment systems rather than field ecology. If that career path aligns with their interests, the debt load shouldn't be prohibitive.