Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering at University of Vermont

UVM's environmental engineering program produces graduates earning slightly below the national median but comfortably above the Vermont average for this field. Starting at nearly $64,000, graduates carry manageable debt—$21,000 puts them below the national median debt load—with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 that signals relatively little financial stress. As Vermont's only program in this field, it ranks in the 60th percentile statewide by default, though the more telling comparison is that graduates land squarely in the middle nationally while borrowing less than their peers elsewhere.

The concerning wrinkle is the earnings trajectory: graduates see a slight dip to about $62,000 by year four, which bucks the typical pattern of steady career progression in engineering disciplines. This could reflect career path choices (government or nonprofit environmental work over private sector engineering) or the volatility that comes with a small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means one or two outliers can skew the picture significantly.

For parents evaluating this program, the fundamentals are sound: reasonable debt, decent starting pay, and solid credentials from a selective school. Just understand that environmental engineering doesn't command the same salary premium as other engineering specialties, and career earnings may plateau early rather than climb aggressively. If your student is passionate about environmental work specifically, this represents a practical path without crushing debt.