Environmental Designat University of Colorado Boulder
Graduates earn $42,401/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Environmental Design average. Base-case 10-year earnings $673K; scenarios range from $606K to $693K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Colorado Boulder
While the earnings data looks solid, your real advantage comes from location. The CU Boulder program is deeply embedded in the thriving Denver-Boulder metropolitan area, a region known for progressive urban planning and sustainable building. This isn't just theory; it's a living lab. You’ll find strong recruiting pipelines into local and regional architecture, planning, and landscape design firms that value CU’s specific focus. The program's reputation gives you a leg up in a competitive local market focused on green development. The high AI risk score reflects technology's growing role in drafting and modeling, not a lack of jobs. To stand out, focus your studies on the uniquely human skills of client relations, project management, and creative problem-solving that automation can't replicate. This will ensure you're managing the tools, not being replaced by them.
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 University of Colorado Boulder'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 Design
How University of Colorado Boulder stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Colorado Boulder
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Colorado Boulder, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Environmental Design at University of Colorado Boulder
How does University of Colorado Boulder's Environmental Design program score?
This program scores 49/100 — on the lower end for Environmental Design. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Environmental Design to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Environmental Design careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of Colorado Boulder rank so high for Environmental Design?
The #1 ranking out of 6 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.