DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
← Program directory
COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences bachelor's degree at California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are below similar programs.

$6,819 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
38.5% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−64% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$53,371 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+65%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$29,476 → $48,634
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
21Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
56Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

90Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
15Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
56Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
49Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$53,371$17,289 above the preliminary benchmark

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$13,171

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,526

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$53,371

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$218/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$13,171Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$25,170Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE98.2%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE48.5%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$29,476Year 1
$53,371Year 4
$48,634Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.9% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,448
Estimated loan payment$218
56borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$53,371 vs. $60,190

$6,819 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Natural Sciences Managers$210,230 median wageCA estimate · 14,950 jobs · 11-9121$167,630–$304,380 middle 50% of CA wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAtmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$133,230 median wageCA estimate · 1,410 jobs · 25-1051$99,270–$202,470 middle 50% of CA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 800 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$106,500 median wageCA estimate · 3,350 jobs · 19-2042$73,850–$138,120 middle 50% of CA wages+5.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHydrologists$122,110 median wageCA estimate · 540 jobs · 19-2043$93,640–$142,500 middle 50% of CA wages+1.5% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$132,960 median wageCA estimate · 1,650 jobs · 25-1052$102,980–$188,810 middle 50% of CA wages+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 1,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeHydrologic Technicians$70,790 median wageCA estimate · 300 jobs · 19-4044$55,370–$88,900 middle 50% of CA wages-1.3% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeGeological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$69,410 median wageCA estimate · 480 jobs · 19-4043$53,610–$83,470 middle 50% of CA wages+3.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Sacramento, CA

California State University, Sacramento

$20,047 higher earnings · $5,526 less debt · $3,833 lower annual net price

Earnings
$73,418
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$9,338
View outcomes →
Pomona, CA

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

$19,934 higher earnings · $1,151 less debt · $1,640 lower annual net price

Earnings
$73,305
Debt
$19,375
Annual net price
$11,531
View outcomes →
Fullerton, CA

California State University, Fullerton

$5,520 higher earnings · $5,401 less debt · $6,616 lower annual net price

Earnings
$58,891
Debt
$15,125
Annual net price
$6,555
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$25,772 higher earnings · $623 lower annual net price

Earnings
$79,143
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

21 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →