Environmental Engineeringat Oregon State University
Graduates earn $68,223/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Environmental Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $720K; scenarios range from $633K to $745K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Oregon State University
Your exploration of Oregon State's Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering program places you among a select group, as this program consistently ranks nationally. This reflects a curriculum deeply aligned with Oregon's emphasis on sustainability and natural resource management, preparing you for roles in a robust regional market. You'll find strong demand from state agencies like the Department of Environmental Quality, numerous environmental consulting firms across the Pacific Northwest, and even tech and manufacturing companies needing compliance expertise. OSU's strong connections ensure a pipeline to these employers, contributing to solid early career outcomes.
However, the significant AI risk associated with many engineering tasks means your long-term success hinges on developing skills beyond routine analysis. Focus on mastering project management, regulatory interpretation, and advanced problem-solving that requires nuanced human judgment. Seek out internships that offer leadership opportunities and interdisciplinary team experience, positioning you for those higher-level, less-automatable roles like management or specialized consulting.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Oregon State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Environmental Engineering
How Oregon State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Oregon State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Oregon State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University?
A score of 65/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Environmental Engineering field.
Will AI replace Environmental Engineering careers?
With 50% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $633,352 in decade earnings vs $744,509 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes Oregon State University's Environmental Engineering program stand out?
Ranked #10 of 47 programs nationally, Oregon State University lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.