Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's environmental engineering program produces graduates earning exactly the national median ($64,675), but that's actually below average for Indiana, where the typical program yields $68,268 in first-year earnings—nearly $4,000 more. More telling: nearby Purdue graduates start at $71,861, creating a $7,000 earnings gap despite Notre Dame's far more selective admissions (12% vs Purdue's broader access). The $25,000 debt load is reasonable and below the 50th percentile nationally, making this financially safer than many engineering programs, but it doesn't offset the earnings disadvantage within Indiana.

The real question is whether Notre Dame's brand and network justify paying a premium (likely higher tuition even with aid) for middle-of-the-pack environmental engineering outcomes. While the 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio indicates manageable repayment, students here could potentially earn more at less selective Indiana schools. The sample size warning matters—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these numbers could shift significantly year to year, and the program may be too small to offer the specialized coursework or industry connections that larger engineering departments provide.

If your child is set on Notre Dame for its overall experience and can attend affordably, this won't derail their career. But for families choosing primarily on engineering outcomes, Purdue delivers stronger Indiana market results with a more established program infrastructure.