by our College Data Analytics Team
[Environmental Design](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/environmental-design/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their environmental design graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying environmental design schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send environmental design graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
University Of New Mexico Main Campus earned the #1 spot for highest-paid environmental design graduates in the United States. Set in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the environmental design program here go on to a median salary of roughly $60,529.
University Of Colorado Boulder came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental design schools. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a public institution. After graduating, environmental design degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder typically earn about $68,017 annually.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus produces some of the highest-paid graduates in environmental design, landing the #3 spot this year. Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a public school located in the town of Bowling Green. Early-career environmental design graduates from Bowling Green State University Main Campus make a median of around $58,480 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in environmental design will find them at University Of Hawaii At Manoa, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Honolulu, University Of Hawaii At Manoa is a public institution. Environmental Design graduates of University Of Hawaii At Manoa earn a median of about $65,559 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at University At Buffalo earned it the #5 place for environmental design. University At Buffalo is a public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. Early-career environmental design graduates from University At Buffalo make a median of around $62,289 per year.
Auburn University earned the #6 position for environmental design graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a public institution. Environmental Design graduates of Auburn University earn a median of about $44,929 a year early in their careers.
Arizona State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying environmental design schools. Arizona State University is a public school located in the city of Tempe. After graduating, environmental design degree recipients from Arizona State University typically earn about $37,226 annually.
University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras landed the #8 spot for environmental design salaries this year. University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras is a public school located in the city of San Juan. After graduating, environmental design degree recipients from University Of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras typically earn about $25,398 annually.
Explore the highest-paying environmental design schools at other degree levels:
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries environmental design graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.