Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at University of California-Davis

California's environmental engineering programs show significant variation in outcomes, and UC Davis falls in the middle of that range. Based on comparable programs in the state, graduates typically earn around $59,300 in their first year—solidly ahead of the $47,000 at UC Merced but well behind the $82,000 at Cal Poly SLO. The estimated debt load of $20,500 is manageable at roughly a third of first-year earnings, suggesting graduates could tackle their loans without undue strain.

The national picture reinforces that UC Davis sits near the median rather than at the top of the field. Similar programs nationwide typically produce first-year earnings around $64,700, about $5,400 higher than the California estimate here. This gap matters less if your child plans to stay in California, where engineering salaries and cost of living both run high, but it's worth noting that peer institutions are generating stronger immediate returns.

The takeaway: UC Davis offers a credible environmental engineering program with reasonable debt, but the estimated outcomes don't scream exceptional value. If your child gained admission to Cal Poly SLO or SDSU, those programs show notably stronger early earnings. If Davis is the target for other reasons—research opportunities, campus culture, or specific faculty—the financial picture won't sink them, but the engineering premium here appears more modest than at California's top-performing programs.