Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 40.06. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,075 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 39 | 107 | $54,690 | $63,448 | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 139 | 142 | $33,448 | $46,694 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 464 | 4,802 | $45,534 | $60,190 | $22,000 76 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 232 | 1,691 | $65,376 | $79,463 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 149 | 782 | $73,447 | $92,039 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 42 | 98 | $56,036 | $63,510 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,216 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,216 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,216 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,216 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $53,216 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Utah UT · Public · 17 graduates measured | $61,921 | $62,867 | Data unavailable |
| San Diego State University CA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $59,614 | $73,647 | Data unavailable |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins CO · Public · 22 graduates measured | $59,033 | $71,631 | $19,001 |
| Southern New Hampshire University NH · Private, nonprofit · 99 graduates measured | $56,434 | $62,360 | $29,963 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver PA · Public · 76 graduates measured | $56,396 | $81,092 | $25,475 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 76 graduates measured | $56,396 | $81,092 | $25,475 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 76 graduates measured | $56,396 | $81,092 | $25,475 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz CA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $55,437 | $64,499 | $15,000 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 21 graduates measured | $54,230 | $60,715 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Arlington TX · Public · 19 graduates measured | $53,845 | $65,294 | Data unavailable |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas NV · Public · 26 graduates measured | $52,679 | $52,278 | $18,258 |
| Dartmouth College NH · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $52,405 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Colorado Boulder CO · Public · 32 graduates measured | $52,384 | $60,453 | $27,000 |
| Montclair State University NJ · Public · 22 graduates measured | $52,223 | $65,826 | $20,250 |
| Mississippi State University MS · Public · 83 graduates measured | $51,776 | $62,082 | $27,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines CO · Public · 32 graduates measured | $79,775 | $109,407 | Data unavailable |
| University of Houston TX · Public · 22 graduates measured | $78,987 | $110,277 | Data unavailable |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 72 graduates measured | $72,307 | $96,433 | Data unavailable |
| Ohio University-Main Campus OH · Public · 26 graduates measured | $70,802 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Arizona AZ · Public · 18 graduates measured | $64,581 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mississippi State University MS · Public · 57 graduates measured | $64,334 | $86,410 | Data unavailable |
| University of California-San Diego CA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $62,077 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $47,045 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers | $101,920 | +5.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Hydrologists | $96,600 | +1.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Geological technicians, except hydrologic technicians | $53,350 | +3.6% | Associate's degree |
| Hydrologic technicians | $64,790 | -1.3% | Associate's degree |
| Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary | $103,170 | +2.4% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Chemistry teachers, postsecondary | $93,250 | +2.3% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (8)
- 40.0601 Geology/Earth Science, General
- 40.0602 Geochemistry
- 40.0603 Geophysics and Seismology
- 40.0604 Paleontology
- 40.0605 Hydrology and Water Resources Science
- 40.0606 Geochemistry and Petrology
- 40.0607 Oceanography, Chemical and Physical
- 40.0699 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other