# Western Carolina University: Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy (bachelor's)

Cullowhee, NC. IPEDS 200004, CIP 03.02. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/environmental-natural-resources-management-and-policy

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $36,846
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,834 (U.S. median for this major: $53,620 across 29 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $21,962 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in NC: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$3,786

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.34 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,834 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 | $8,816 | $38,261 | 2.3 years |
| 30-48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 2.7 years |
| 48-75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 3.4 years |
| 75-110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 4.5 years |
| 110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 4.8 years |

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

## Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy at NC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Carolina University | $49,834 | $21,962 | $13,315 | 60% |

## Careers
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage not reported metro, $78,500 NC, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling (SOC 11-9072): median wage not reported metro, $77,990 NC, $79,520 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6% by 2035
- Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061): median wage not reported metro, $63,710 NC, $61,990 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5% 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).