Sustainability Studies
Offered at 300 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 37 | $46,667 | — | $23,500 |
| Associate | 14 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 115 | $44,761 | $63,252 | $21,164 |
| Master's | 86 | $65,811 | $82,373 | — |
| Doctoral | 13 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 35 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $46,667, versus $44,761 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa | IA | $44,203 | $64,429 | $23,500 |
| 2 | University of Georgia | GA | $54,940 | — | $21,500 |
| 3 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $46,667 | — | $23,875 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $80,080 | — | $24,125 |
| 2 | Western Washington University | WA | $36,038 | $77,312 | $18,500 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | WI | $47,945 | $71,446 | — |
| 4 | Montclair State University | NJ | — | $70,240 | — |
| 5 | Stockton University | NJ | — | $67,023 | — |
| 6 | University of California-Riverside | CA | $45,627 | $64,051 | $21,500 |
| 7 | University of Northern Colorado | CO | $45,147 | $63,830 | — |
| 8 | George Mason University | VA | $47,306 | $62,674 | $17,000 |
| 9 | University of Florida | FL | $44,079 | $62,349 | $11,000 |
| 10 | Michigan State University | MI | $62,210 | — | $24,520 |
| 11 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | NH | $44,647 | $61,947 | $27,000 |
| 12 | West Virginia University | WV | $59,608 | — | — |
| 13 | Utah State University | UT | $57,729 | — | — |
| 14 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | $55,767 | — | $24,250 |
| 15 | Iowa State University | IA | $55,068 | — | $27,250 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $93,339 | $135,675 | — |
| 2 | Northwestern University | IL | $132,539 | — | — |
| 3 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | FL | $98,195 | — | — |
| 4 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | FL | $98,195 | — | — |
| 5 | Harvard University | MA | $86,050 | — | — |
| 6 | The New School | NY | $57,505 | $85,474 | — |
| 7 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $68,596 | $84,047 | — |
| 8 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $70,037 | $82,650 | — |
| 9 | CUNY City College | NY | $64,799 | $82,373 | — |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $80,761 | — | — |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | WI | $78,678 | — | — |
| 12 | DePaul University | IL | $65,591 | $73,763 | — |
| 13 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | OH | $53,115 | $72,326 | — |
| 14 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | MA | $47,236 | $70,666 | — |
| 15 | University of Miami | FL | $70,403 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do sustainability studies graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in sustainability studies reports median earnings of $44,761. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
