To date, we’ve asked 21 current and past environmental engineering students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.

You don’t have to choose a major right away, but at some point you will.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a environmental engineering degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a environmental engineering degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are environmental engineering students compared to other degrees?

Overall, environmental engineering students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 2.8 out of 5. This is low compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, environmental engineering students rate their happiness similarly to students in Accounting, Civil Engineering and Engineering.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to environmental engineering

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Education$52,610
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$66,391
Environmental Engineering$85,696
Accounting$84,169
Civil Engineering$90,919
Engineering$87,146
French Language$55,884
Civil Engineering and Related Studies$92,055

Let's break that down further.

Are environmental engineering students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
3.5 out of 5 stars
22 ratings
5 stars
23%
4 stars
36%
3 stars
23%
2 stars
9%
1 stars
9%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.5 out of 5 stars
23 ratings
5 stars
22%
4 stars
39%
3 stars
17%
2 stars
13%
1 stars
9%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in environmental engineering experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did environmental engineering graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what environmental engineering grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
3.3 out of 5 stars
22 ratings
5 stars
9%
4 stars
36%
3 stars
36%
2 stars
9%
1 stars
9%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were environmental engineering students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
2.8 out of 5 stars
21 ratings
5 stars
14%
4 stars
19%
3 stars
24%
2 stars
14%
1 stars
29%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Career Paths

Learn about your career prospects after graduation.

Read about Career Paths