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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4006

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 14 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$94,048 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.

$94,048Median year-4 earnings

$17,035Average 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

$94,048Median reported earnings · year 4

$89,221Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

65thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

14Reporting programs

14With 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: $76,463
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,453
Federal debt: $24,830
Reporting programs: 151

139 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $94,048
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $97,886
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 5

5 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$83,661National median$94,04875th percentile$99,705

14 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus$164,523 2University of Houston$110,277 3Colorado School of Mines$109,407 4University of Louisiana at Lafayette$106,248 5The University of Texas at El Paso$99,705 6California State University, Fresno$97,545 7Texas A&M University-College Station$96,433 8Montana Technological University$91,662 9Mississippi State University$86,410 10University of North Carolina Wilmington$84,961

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.

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1051 · 8 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 8 crosswalk linksGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersSOC 19-2042 · 7 crosswalk linksHydrologistsSOC 19-2043 · 3 crosswalk linksChemistry Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1052 · 1 crosswalk linksGeological Technicians, Except Hydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4043 · 1 crosswalk linksHydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4044 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GEOLOGICAL AND EARTH SCIENCES/GEOSCIENCES

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 Oklahoma-Norman CampusMaster's Degree	Norman, OK	$164,523	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,300
2	University of HoustonMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$110,277	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,276
3	Colorado School of MinesMaster's Degree	Golden, CO	$109,407	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,690
4	University of Louisiana at LafayetteMaster's Degree	Lafayette, LA	$106,248	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,530
5	The University of Texas at El PasoMaster's Degree	El Paso, TX	$99,705	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,403
6	California State University, FresnoMaster's Degree	Fresno, CA	$97,545	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,000
7	Texas A&M University-College StationMaster's Degree	College Station, TX	$96,433	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,315
8	Montana Technological UniversityMaster's Degree	Butte, MT	$91,662	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,481
9	Mississippi State UniversityMaster's Degree	Mississippi State, MS	$86,410	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,595
10	University of North Carolina WilmingtonMaster's Degree	Wilmington, NC	$84,961	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,109
11	University of Rhode IslandMaster's Degree	Kingston, RI	$83,661	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,440
12	Georgia State UniversityMaster's Degree	Atlanta, GA	$74,484	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,931
13	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeMaster's Degree	Baton Rouge, LA	$73,636	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,151
14	The University of Texas at DallasMaster's Degree	Richardson, TX	$63,901	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,267

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.