Environmental Design graduates earn $57,461 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $44,249 and $73,508. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Environmental Design as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Architecture and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Environmental Design is a focused area of study within Architecture. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $57,461 four years out, a solid return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 61 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 719 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. Coursework leans technical and quantitative, with lab or project work common.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$40,176
Median Earnings · 4yr
$57,461
Colleges Offering
61
Graduates / Year
719
Avg Net Price / yr
$20,794
How Much Do Environmental Design Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Environmental Design, a typical graduate earns $57,461, near the national median for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $44,249 and $73,508, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Do not judge the field on a starting paycheck alone: pay tends to jump in the first few years, climbing from $40,176 at one year out to $57,461 by year four. Source: College Scorecard.
Starting salaries only. Earnings in this field grow substantially in the first 3 to 5 years.
$57,461
4-Year National Median
Near the national median for college graduates.
$56,561
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Environmental Design graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Sector is the biggest factor. Tech companies and finance firms tend to pay significantly more than government, education, or nonprofit employers in this field.
$44,24925th pct.
$57,461Median
$73,50875th pct.
A Solid Financial Return
Solid ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $57,461 and an estimated $83,176 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.0 years.
Based on outcomes from 38 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 719 students who complete Environmental Design programs each year, the majority (77%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
77%
Bachelor's77%
Post-Bacc Cert.12%
Master's4%
What Can You Do With an Environmental Design Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Environmental Design graduates show up in 6 different occupations, and Architectural & Engineering Manager pays the most at $171,270/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Teach courses in architecture and architectural design, such as architectural environmental design, interior architecture/design, and landscape architecture. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as architectural design methods, aesthetics and design, and structures and materials.
Active ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingSpeakingSystems AnalysisReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Design, promote, or administer government plans or policies affecting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, or transportation.
Advise planning officials on project feasibility, cost-effectiveness, regulatory conformance, or possible alternatives.
Create, prepare, or requisition graphic or narrative reports on land use data, including land area maps overlaid with geographic variables, such as population density.
SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving
Day-to-day responsibilities
Plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.
Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.
Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
Top Colleges for Environmental Design
Not sure where to study Environmental Design? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Environmental Design graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Architecture Programs
Environmental Design is not the only path through Architecture: 8 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of an Environmental Design program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Environmental Design shows 4 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Above-average earningsFour-year median of $57,461 puts graduates ahead of many humanities and social science programs.
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $40,176 at graduation to $57,461 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +5.5% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 35,100 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
$57,461 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $44,249 and $73,508, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for an Environmental Design degree?
$40,176 in the first year out. That grows to $57,461 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with an Environmental Design degree?
Architectural & Engineering Manager is one path, and it pays a median of $171,270 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does an Environmental Design program take?
Four years of full-time study for an Environmental Design bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Environmental Design?
61 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is an Environmental Design degree worth it?
$57,461 median earnings four years out against $20,794 a year in average net price. That is a reasonable payback window, best at lower-cost schools and in high-demand roles. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Environmental Design and Architecture?
Environmental Design is the narrower of the two: Architecture covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Environmental Design-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Environmental Design graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Environmental Design graduates consistently look for analytical thinking, technical proficiency, and data interpretation. Employers typically prioritize candidates who can demonstrate hands-on project or internship experience alongside their coursework. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Environmental Design graduates?
Usually worth considering. A master's in a STEM field can accelerate advancement into research, leadership, or senior engineering roles, and often adds $15,000 to $40,000 in long-term earning potential depending on specialization. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Environmental Design graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +3.9% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Architectural & Engineering Manager is among the strongest-growth roles at +5.5%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Architecture Programs
Other programs in Architecture. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
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