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Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences.
Doctoral Degree•118 Institutions
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($97,886)
P25-P75 Interval ($63,005 - $100,332)
HS Baseline ($35,872)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stanford | CA | $120,024 Nat: $92,039 4yr Post-Grad | $13,807 /yr | - | +$193k |
La Jolla | CA | $100,332 Nat: $92,039 4yr Post-Grad | $12,470 /yr | - | +$52k |
Bend | OR | $97,886 Nat: $92,039 4yr Post-Grad | $18,048 /yr | - | +$14k |
Corvallis | OR | $97,886 Nat: $92,039 4yr Post-Grad | $19,604 /yr | - | +$8k |
Tuscaloosa | AL | - Nat: $92,039 | $22,420 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Alaska Fairbanks ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Fairbanks | AK | - Nat: $92,039 | $10,892 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tempe | AZ | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,967 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tucson | AZ | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,674 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fayetteville | AR | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,209 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pasadena | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,075 /yr | - | -$0 |
Berkeley | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,481 /yr | - | -$0 |
Davis | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,741 /yr | - | -$0 |
Irvine | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,251 /yr | - | -$0 |
Los Angeles | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $12,548 /yr | - | -$0 |
Riverside | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,304 /yr | - | -$0 |
Santa Barbara | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,109 /yr | - | -$0 |
Santa Cruz | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,890 /yr | - | -$0 |
Loma Linda University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Loma Linda | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Los Angeles | CA | - Nat: $92,039 | $32,740 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boulder | CO | - Nat: $92,039 | $25,346 /yr | - | -$0 |
Golden | CO | - Nat: $92,039 | $28,690 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fort Collins | CO | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,279 /yr | - | -$0 |
Storrs | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $25,097 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Haven | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $23,777 /yr | - | -$0 |
Newark | DE | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,799 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boca Raton | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $8,752 /yr | - | -$0 |
Miami | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $9,288 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tallahassee | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $11,297 /yr | - | -$0 |
Gainesville | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $6,541 /yr | - | -$0 |
Coral Gables | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $37,244 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fort Lauderdale | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $30,371 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tampa | FL | - Nat: $92,039 | $9,812 /yr | - | -$0 |
Atlanta | GA | - Nat: $92,039 | $12,116 /yr | - | -$0 |
Athens | GA | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,936 /yr | - | -$0 |
Honolulu | HI | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,664 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boise | ID | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,610 /yr | - | -$0 |
Moscow | ID | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,831 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,860 /yr | - | -$0 |
Champaign | IL | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,355 /yr | - | -$0 |
Dekalb | IL | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,391 /yr | - | -$0 |
Evanston | IL | - Nat: $92,039 | $29,167 /yr | - | -$0 |
Carbondale | IL | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,297 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bloomington | IN | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,264 /yr | - | -$0 |
Iowa City | IA | - Nat: $92,039 | $22,531 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lawrence | KS | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,059 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lexington | KY | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,851 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baton Rouge | LA | - Nat: $92,039 | $19,151 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Orleans | LA | - Nat: $92,039 | $39,949 /yr | - | -$0 |
Orono | ME | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,510 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baltimore | MD | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,809 /yr | - | -$0 |
College Park | MD | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,678 /yr | - | -$0 |
Amherst | MA | - Nat: $92,039 | $22,383 /yr | - | -$0 |
Cambridge | MA | - Nat: $92,039 | $20,111 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ann Arbor | MI | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,138 /yr | - | -$0 |
Houghton | MI | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,182 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kalamazoo | MI | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,273 /yr | - | -$0 |
Mississippi State | MS | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,595 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hattiesburg | MS | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,708 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbia | MO | - Nat: $92,039 | $20,268 /yr | - | -$0 |
St. Louis | MO | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,786 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bozeman | MT | - Nat: $92,039 | $22,499 /yr | - | -$0 |
The University of Montana ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Missoula | MT | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,784 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lincoln | NE | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,747 /yr | - | -$0 |
Las Vegas | NV | - Nat: $92,039 | $10,359 /yr | - | -$0 |
Reno | NV | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,927 /yr | - | -$0 |
Princeton | NJ | - Nat: $92,039 | $6,128 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Brunswick | NJ | - Nat: $92,039 | $24,406 /yr | - | -$0 |
Albuquerque | NM | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,489 /yr | - | -$0 |
Las Cruces | NM | - Nat: $92,039 | $8,889 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,590 /yr | - | -$0 |
Ithaca | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $28,690 /yr | - | -$0 |
CUNY Graduate School and University Center ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. New York | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Troy | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $36,228 /yr | - | -$0 |
Rochester | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $29,278 /yr | - | -$0 |
Buffalo | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $20,995 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stony Brook | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,784 /yr | - | -$0 |
Syracuse | NY | - Nat: $92,039 | $38,793 /yr | - | -$0 |
Durham | NC | - Nat: $92,039 | $29,612 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chapel Hill | NC | - Nat: $92,039 | $11,655 /yr | - | -$0 |
Cleveland | OH | - Nat: $92,039 | $41,190 /yr | - | -$0 |
Cincinnati | OH | - Nat: $92,039 | $25,648 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kent | OH | - Nat: $92,039 | $20,787 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbus | OH | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,339 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stillwater | OK | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,447 /yr | - | -$0 |
Norman | OK | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,300 /yr | - | -$0 |
Eugene | OR | - Nat: $92,039 | $22,182 /yr | - | -$0 |
Bethlehem | PA | - Nat: $92,039 | $36,931 /yr | - | -$0 |
University Park | PA | - Nat: $92,039 | $32,875 /yr | - | -$0 |
Philadelphia | PA | - Nat: $92,039 | $28,699 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pittsburgh | PA | - Nat: $92,039 | $30,434 /yr | - | -$0 |
Philadelphia | PA | - Nat: $92,039 | $28,198 /yr | - | -$0 |
Providence | RI | - Nat: $92,039 | $25,184 /yr | - | -$0 |
Kingston | RI | - Nat: $92,039 | $21,440 /yr | - | -$0 |
Memphis | TN | - Nat: $92,039 | $12,397 /yr | - | -$0 |
Knoxville | TN | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,976 /yr | - | -$0 |
Nashville | TN | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,846 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waco | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $41,104 /yr | - | -$0 |
Houston | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,276 /yr | - | -$0 |
Houston | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,370 /yr | - | -$0 |
Dallas | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $40,892 /yr | - | -$0 |
Richardson | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $18,267 /yr | - | -$0 |
El Paso | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $9,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lubbock | TX | - Nat: $92,039 | $19,070 /yr | - | -$0 |
Norfolk | VA | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,638 /yr | - | -$0 |
Blacksburg | VA | - Nat: $92,039 | $24,953 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pullman | WA | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,971 /yr | - | -$0 |
Morgantown | WV | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,634 /yr | - | -$0 |
Madison | WI | - Nat: $92,039 | $17,354 /yr | - | -$0 |
Milwaukee | WI | - Nat: $92,039 | $15,014 /yr | - | -$0 |
Laramie | WY | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,599 /yr | - | -$0 |
West Lafayette | IN | - Nat: $92,039 | $14,600 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waterbury | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $10,875 /yr | - | -$0 |
Groton | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $13,807 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stamford | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,798 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hartford | CT | - Nat: $92,039 | $16,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Austin | TX | $92,982 Nat: $92,039 4yr Post-Grad | $19,857 /yr | - | -$29k |
Seattle | WA | $63,005 Nat: $92,039 2yr Post-Grad | $14,091 /yr | - | -$213k |
College Station | TX | $45,529 Nat: $92,039 2yr Post-Grad | $21,315 /yr | - | -$384k |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.