Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at Tarleton State University

Texas Tech reports first-year earnings of roughly $77,000 for environmental engineering graduates, while comparable programs nationally suggest earnings closer to $65,000—which is where Tarleton's small cohort likely falls. That $12,000 gap matters when you're trying to pay off student loans, though the estimated $22,000 debt load is manageable at either earnings level.

The financial math works here: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 means your child would owe about four months' salary, well within reasonable bounds for an engineering degree. Even at the lower national benchmark, this is far more favorable than most undergraduate programs. The real question is whether Tarleton's environmental engineering curriculum—offered at a school with a 94% acceptance rate and modestly selective profile—can deliver outcomes closer to Texas Tech's actual results or whether graduates will track toward the national median.

Given that only six Texas schools offer this specialized engineering degree, the limited data isn't surprising. If your child is set on environmental engineering and Tarleton offers the right campus environment, the estimated financials suggest reasonable risk. But recognize you're placing a bet on a small program without verified outcomes data, and Texas Tech has proven it can deliver substantially higher earnings in this field.