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GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4507

Geography and Cartography: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?

National picture across 3 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$86,247 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$86,247Median year-4 earnings

$29,241Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$86,247Median reported earnings · year 4

$84,727Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

61thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

3Reporting programs

3With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $59,554
Federal debt: $22,197
Reporting programs: 17

15 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $57,751
Federal debt: $22,716
Reporting programs: 130

118 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $77,018
Federal debt: $20,830
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $87,165
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 17

17 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $86,247
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$85,219National median$86,24775th percentile$86,247

3 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Kentucky$88,628 2University of Southern California$86,247 3University of Denver$85,219

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

GeographersSOC 19-3092 · 3 crosswalk linksGeography Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1064 · 3 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 3 crosswalk linksSurveying and Mapping TechniciansSOC 17-3031 · 2 crosswalk linksCartographers and PhotogrammetristsSOC 17-1021 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GEOGRAPHY AND CARTOGRAPHY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	University of KentuckyGraduate/Professional Certificate	Lexington, KY	$88,628	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,851
2	University of Southern CaliforniaGraduate/Professional Certificate	Los Angeles, CA	$86,247	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,740
3	University of DenverGraduate/Professional Certificate	Denver, CO	$85,219	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,131

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.