# Western Colorado University: Environmental Science / Conservation (bachelor's)

Gunnison, CO. IPEDS 128391, CIP 03.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-colorado-university/majors/environmental-science-conservation

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $26,123
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,170 (U.S. median for this major: $54,966 across 260 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $21,612 (U.S. median $22,875)
- Rank in CO: 5 of 7 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the CO median for this major (7 colleges, $50,330): -$1,160
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,796

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.46 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,170 minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

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

## Environmental Science / Conservation at CO colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder | $63,337 | $21,000 | $25,346 | 74% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | $63,175 | $25,370 | $15,327 | 32% |
| Colorado Mesa University | $50,384 | not reported | $15,103 | 41% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $50,330 | $15,140 | $21,279 | 67% |
| Western Colorado University | $49,170 | $21,612 | $16,425 | 51% |
| Fort Lewis College | $46,492 | $21,477 | $17,296 | 36% |
| Colorado College | $37,393 | $15,000 | $33,375 | 88% |

## Careers
- Environmental scientist (SOC 19-2041): median wage not reported metro, $85,990 CO, $82,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.1% by 2035
- Compliance Officers (SOC 13-1041): median wage not reported metro, $82,450 CO, $80,730 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3.8% by 2035
- Conservation Scientists (SOC 19-1031): median wage not reported metro, $84,820 CO, $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).