Sustainability Studies: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Sustainability Studies graduates earn a median $57,887 four years after finishing — $9,527/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 7.1 years. Federal data pools 131 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 1,434 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Sustainability Studies ranks #117 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 43% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $85,545 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | WI | $73,238 |
| 3 | Western Washington University | WA | $70,793 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $63,604 |
| 5 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | NH | $62,388 |
| 6 | University of Florida | FL | $61,281 |
| 7 | George Mason University | VA | $61,216 |
| 8 | Aquinas College | MI | $60,285 |
| 9 | Miami University-Oxford | OH | $59,660 |
| 10 | Miami University-Hamilton | OH | $59,660 |
| 11 | Stockton University | NJ | $59,472 |
| 12 | University of California-Riverside | CA | $58,463 |
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 Sustainability Studies pay grow after graduation?
Median pay sits at $57,887 four years out against $59,456 at one year, so early-career growth in this field is flat on national medians. Progression here depends more on the specific role and employer than on time since graduation.
How many students graduate in Sustainability Studies each year?
About 1,434 bachelor's graduates a year across 131 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.