# Appalachian State University: Environmental Science / Conservation (bachelor's)

Boone, NC. IPEDS 197869, CIP 03.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/appalachian-state-university/majors/environmental-science-conservation

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $27,631
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $46,207 (U.S. median for this major: $54,966 across 260 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,125 (U.S. median $22,875)
- Rank in NC: 7 of 10 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NC median for this major (10 colleges, $46,522): -$315
- Versus the U.S. median: -$8,759

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.23 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $46,207 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,325 | $39,445 | 3.1 years |
| 30-48k | $11,600 | $49,068 | 3.9 years |
| 48-75k | $15,204 | $64,313 | 5.1 years |
| 75-110k | $20,840 | $88,153 | 6.9 years |
| 110k+ | $22,382 | $94,676 | 7.5 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Environmental Science / Conservation at NC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | $73,435 | $11,875 | $29,612 | 97% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $65,337 | $12,044 | $11,655 | 91% |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $49,806 | not reported | $10,260 | 44% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $46,772 | $21,500 | $17,303 | 85% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | $46,527 | $22,309 | $20,109 | 71% |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | $46,518 | $22,880 | $12,250 | 55% |
| Appalachian State University | $46,207 | $23,125 | $16,836 | 75% |
| Warren Wilson College | $43,793 | not reported | $21,249 | 42% |
| Catawba College | $42,505 | $25,794 | $17,879 | 47% |
| Western Carolina University | $40,831 | not reported | $13,315 | 60% |

## Careers
- Environmental scientist (SOC 19-2041): median wage not reported metro, $74,130 NC, $82,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.1% by 2035
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage not reported metro, $78,500 NC, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Conservation Scientists (SOC 19-1031): median wage not reported metro, $64,460 NC, $73,010 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.3% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).