Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at University at Buffalo

The small sample size here is critical context, but the available numbers suggest UB's environmental engineering program lags behind peer schools. First-year earnings of $57,098 fall about $8,000 below the national median and roughly $6,000 below New York's typical outcome for this major—landing at just the 13th percentile nationally despite ranking at a more respectable 40th percentile within the state. For context, Cornell and Clarkson graduates in the same field earn $10,000-$12,000 more right out of school, and even CUNY City College matches the state median at around $63,000.

The financial picture does improve with time—earnings grow 18% to $67,282 by year four, which reaches the national 75th percentile mark. The $27,000 in typical debt is exactly at New York's median and only slightly above the national figure, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.5. So graduates aren't drowning in debt, but they're starting their careers behind their engineering peers.

Given the small sample, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. If your child is committed to environmental engineering and wants an affordable SUNY option, UB isn't a disaster—the debt is reasonable and earnings do catch up. But if maximizing early career earnings matters, look closely at schools like Cornell (if financially feasible) or even CUNY City College, which delivers stronger first-year outcomes at likely lower in-state tuition.