U.S. median for this major: $54,966.
College Scorecard field of study; 33 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 44% 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 $25,736. College Scorecard.
Western Colorado University 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 Western Colorado University'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 | $11,490 | $51,245 | 6.0 years |
| $30–48k | $10,868 | $48,471 | 5.7 years |
| $48–75k | $13,908 | $62,030 | 7.2 years |
| $75–110k | $16,928 | $75,499 | 8.8 years |
| $110k+ | $21,396 | $95,426 | 11.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (32% 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 ($49,170) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,560 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 Western Colorado University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Colorado University
- Acceptance rate: 100% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $46,833
- Full cost breakdown · all 26 majors · overview
Western Colorado University Environmental Science / Conservation questions
How much do Western Colorado University Environmental Science / Conservation graduates earn?
Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of Western Colorado University earn a median $49,170 four years after graduating and $26,123 one year after. The U.S. median for Environmental Science / Conservation graduates across 260 colleges is $54,966.
How much debt do Western Colorado University Environmental Science / Conservation graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of Western Colorado University is $21,612, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,875.
Is Western Colorado University a good school for Environmental Science / Conservation in Colorado?
On pay, Environmental Science / Conservation graduates of Western Colorado University earn $49,170 four years out, $1,160 below the median for the same major across 7 Colorado colleges ($50,330) and $5,796 below the U.S. median ($54,966). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Colorado University rank for Environmental Science / Conservation in Colorado?
Of 7 Colorado colleges reporting Environmental Science / Conservation graduate earnings, Western Colorado University ranks 5th; among the 6 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 4th. The highest is University of Colorado Boulder at $63,337.
What jobs do Environmental Science / Conservation graduates get?
A common career is environmental scientist, with a median wage of $85,990 in Colorado 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: “Western Colorado University Environmental Science / Conservation: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-colorado-university/majors/environmental-science-conservation (College Scorecard and BLS data).