Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
Offered at 841 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 22 | $53,216 | — | — |
| Associate | 71 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 407 | $45,793 | $63,878 | $22,000 |
| Master's | 188 | $67,691 | $83,714 | — |
| Doctoral | 130 | — | $97,081 | — |
| Graduate certificate | 23 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $53,216, versus $45,793 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | PA | $53,216 | — | — |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | PA | $53,216 | — | — |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | PA | $53,216 | — | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $53,216 | — | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $53,216 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Fear Community College | NC | — | $48,567 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $46,634 | $96,718 | $14,000 |
| 2 | Brigham Young University-Idaho | ID | — | $89,651 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $88,471 | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | PA | $56,396 | $86,327 | $25,475 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $56,396 | $86,327 | $25,475 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | PA | $56,396 | $86,327 | $25,475 |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $51,208 | $85,174 | $18,625 |
| 8 | California State University-Bakersfield | CA | — | $85,129 | — |
| 9 | California State University-Sacramento | CA | — | $85,118 | — |
| 10 | California State University-Long Beach | CA | — | $84,068 | — |
| 11 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | — | $84,055 | — |
| 12 | Texas Christian University | TX | — | $83,259 | — |
| 13 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | OK | — | $82,851 | $25,142 |
| 14 | Union College | NY | — | $80,638 | — |
| 15 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | — | $79,935 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Houston | TX | $78,987 | $120,829 | — |
| 2 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | LA | — | $106,061 | — |
| 3 | California State University-Bakersfield | CA | — | $105,977 | — |
| 4 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $72,307 | $98,205 | — |
| 5 | Colorado School of Mines | CO | $79,775 | $90,882 | — |
| 6 | Stephen F Austin State University | TX | — | $90,447 | — |
| 7 | Portland State University | OR | — | $88,377 | — |
| 8 | University of Rhode Island | RI | — | $84,748 | — |
| 9 | Mississippi State University | MS | $64,334 | $83,714 | — |
| 10 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | — | $82,549 | — |
| 11 | The University of Texas at Dallas | TX | — | $80,784 | — |
| 12 | Brigham Young University | UT | — | $80,007 | — |
| 13 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus | OK | — | $75,506 | — |
| 14 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | LA | — | $75,132 | — |
| 15 | Missouri State University-Springfield | MO | — | $71,105 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | CA | — | $113,838 | — |
| 2 | University of Arizona | AZ | — | $97,081 | — |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego | CA | — | $91,709 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do geological and earth sciences/geosciences graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in geological and earth sciences/geosciences reports median earnings of $45,793. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
