U.S. median for this major: $54,966.
College Scorecard field of study; 95 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 33% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,875.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $37,684. College Scorecard.
CU Environmental Science / Conservation: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Environmental Science / Conservation nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses CU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $14,231 | $60,624 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $14,381 | $61,263 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $18,828 | $80,207 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $26,915 | $114,658 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $34,818 | $148,325 | 6.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (58% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Environmental Science / Conservation graduates 4 years after graduating ($63,337) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,727 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Environmental Science / Conservation at Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college we cover that reports Environmental Science / Conservation graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Colorado Boulder | $63,337 | $21,000 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 2 | Metropolitan State University of Denver | $63,175 | $25,370 | $15,327 | 32% |
| 3 | Colorado Mesa Universitybachelor's & associate | $50,384 | — | $15,103 | 41% |
| 4 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $50,330 | $15,140 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 5 | Western Colorado University | $49,170 | $21,612 | $16,425 | 51% |
| 6 | Fort Lewis College | $46,492 | $21,477 | $17,296 | 36% |
| 7 | Colorado College | $37,393 | $15,000 | $33,375 | 88% |
4 more Colorado colleges offer Environmental Science / Conservation but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Environmental Science / Conservation graduates
Environmental scientist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Compliance Officers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Conservation Scientists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at CU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CU
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $69,738
- Full cost breakdown · all 68 majors · overview
Related majors at CU
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$53,429
- Environmental Engineering$82,020
- Geography and Environmental Studies—
CU Environmental Science / Conservation questions
How much do CU Environmental Science / Conservation graduates earn?
Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn a median $63,337 four years after graduating and $30,747 one year after. The U.S. median for Environmental Science / Conservation graduates across 260 colleges is $54,966.
How much debt do CU Environmental Science / Conservation graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of University of Colorado Boulder is $21,000, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,875.
Is CU a good school for Environmental Science / Conservation in Colorado?
On pay, Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of University of Colorado Boulder earn $63,337 four years out, $13,007 above the median for the same major across 7 Colorado colleges ($50,330) and $8,371 above the U.S. median ($54,966). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CU rank for Environmental Science / Conservation in Colorado?
Of 7 Colorado colleges reporting Environmental Science / Conservation graduate earnings, University of Colorado Boulder ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Environmental Science / Conservation graduates get?
A common career is environmental scientist, with a median wage of $65,260 in the Boulder, CO area and $82,220 nationally. Others include compliance officers and conservation scientists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Science / Conservation: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/environmental-science-conservation (College Scorecard and BLS data).