Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at Temple University

In Pennsylvania, environmental engineering programs produce widely varying outcomes, and Temple's estimated numbers—drawn from national peer programs—land right in the middle of the pack. The projected first-year earnings of $64,675 match the national median exactly and slightly exceed what similar programs in Pennsylvania typically generate ($62,405). That's competitive, though not exceptional, positioning for graduates entering a field where technical skills command solid starting salaries.

The estimated debt picture looks more favorable than many PA alternatives. At roughly $22,000, comparable programs at Temple typically saddle graduates with about $7,000 less debt than the state median for environmental engineering degrees. That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34—meaning graduates would owe roughly four months of their first year's salary, a manageable burden that shouldn't derail other financial goals. For context, Temple serves a substantial population of students from lower-income backgrounds (30% receive Pell grants), making affordability particularly important.

The challenge here is uncertainty: these estimates tell us what similar programs produce nationally, not what Temple's specific environmental engineering graduates achieve. Given the school's accessible admissions (83% acceptance rate) and the field's general demand for technical talent, the actual outcomes could reasonably track these projections. But without program-specific data, you're betting on Temple delivering results comparable to peer institutions rather than having proof it does.