Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering graduates earn a median $81,171 four years after finishing — $32,811/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 2.1 years. Federal data pools 126 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 1,911 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ranks #50 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 76% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University | NY | $103,016 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $102,702 |
| 3 | Texas Tech University | TX | $90,143 |
| 4 | San Diego State University | CA | $88,417 |
| 5 | CUNY City College | NY | $87,804 |
| 6 | Oregon State University | OR | $87,699 |
| 7 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | OR | $87,699 |
| 8 | Colorado School of Mines | CO | $87,278 |
| 9 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | OH | $86,926 |
| 10 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $85,808 |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $84,973 |
| 12 | University of California-Riverside | CA | $84,300 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering pay grow after graduation?
From $64,950 one year out to $81,171 four years out — a $16,221 climb, or 25% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering each year?
About 1,911 bachelor's graduates a year across 126 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.