DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
← Program directory
COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences bachelor's degree at University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · 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.

$13,204 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
Not available
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−92% · 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$46,986 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.

Not availableEarnings growth, year 1 → 5Not available → $47,197
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
20Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
14Borrowers 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.

15Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
Not reportedPell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
15Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
15Graduates 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$46,986$10,904 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$15,901

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

02 · BORROWINGNot available

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$46,986

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENTNot available

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$15,901Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$22,278Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE92.7%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE67.9%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.

Not availableYear 1
$46,986Year 4
$47,197Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

Repayment pressure is not available

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

Gross monthly earnings$3,916
Estimated loan paymentNot available
14borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$46,986 vs. $60,190

$13,204 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$109,760 median wageIA estimate · 610 jobs · 11-9121$82,550–$157,260 middle 50% of IA wages+8.2% projected U.S. growth · 9,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAtmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$97,660 median wageIA estimate · 50 jobs · 25-1051$79,790–$123,720 middle 50% of IA wages+2.4% projected U.S. growth · 800 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers$74,460 median wageIA estimate · 40 jobs · 19-2042$63,500–$89,670 middle 50% of IA wages+5.1% projected U.S. growth · 1,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHydrologists$81,150 median wageIA estimate · 50 jobs · 19-2043$66,180–$108,490 middle 50% of IA wages+1.5% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$82,050 median wageIA estimate · 230 jobs · 25-1052$64,100–$127,200 middle 50% of IA wages+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 1,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeHydrologic Technicians$64,790 median wageU.S. estimate · 2,840 jobs · 19-4044-1.3% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeGeological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350 median wageU.S. estimate · 6,980 jobs · 19-4043+3.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Educational Services

about 30.4%
02

Manufacturing

about 19.0%
03

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 11.0%
04

Public Administration

about 8.3%
05

Retail Trade

about 6.4%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
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.

Ames, IA

Iowa State University

$18,218 higher earnings

Earnings
$65,204
Debt
$26,250
Annual net price
$18,589
View outcomes →
Norman, OK

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

$38,221 higher earnings · $601 lower annual net price

Earnings
$85,207
Debt
$29,250
Annual net price
$15,300
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$32,157 higher earnings · $3,353 lower annual net price

Earnings
$79,143
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
San Diego, CA

San Diego State University

$26,661 higher earnings · $537 lower annual net price

Earnings
$73,647
Debt
$21,500
Annual net price
$15,364
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

20 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 →