# University of Kentucky: Environmental Science / Conservation (bachelor's)

Lexington, KY. IPEDS 157085, CIP 03.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kentucky/majors/environmental-science-conservation

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $36,117
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $50,204 (U.S. median for this major: $54,966 across 260 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,000 (U.S. median $22,875)
- Rank in KY: 1 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$4,762

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.26 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $50,204 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,182 | $51,895 | 3.1 years |
| 30-48k | $12,119 | $51,627 | 3.1 years |
| 48-75k | $16,313 | $69,493 | 4.2 years |
| 75-110k | $21,192 | $90,278 | 5.4 years |
| 110k+ | $26,781 | $114,087 | 6.8 years |

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

## Environmental Science / Conservation at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | $50,204 | $25,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $48,949 | $16,900 | $8,191 | 52% |

## Careers
- Environmental scientist (SOC 19-2041): median wage $73,980 Lexington-Fayette, KY, $71,040 KY, $82,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.1% by 2035
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage $71,700 Lexington-Fayette, KY, $69,240 KY, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Conservation Scientists (SOC 19-1031): median wage not reported Lexington-Fayette, KY, $71,980 KY, $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).