Geography and Cartography: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 126 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Geography and Cartography pays
Career outlook for Geography and Cartography graduates
The job market for the occupations Geography and Cartography graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Surveying and mapping technicians | 59,400 | +4.5% | $51,940 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cartographers and photogrammetrists | 13,400 | +6.4% | $78,380 | Bachelor's degree |
| Geography teachers, postsecondary | 4,000 | +3.3% | $86,730 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Geographers | 1,500 | -3.1% | $97,200 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Geography and Cartography vs similar majors
How Geography and Cartography stacks up against the closest fields in Social Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Geography and Cartography Social Sciences · this major | Economics | International Relations and National Security Studies | Urban Studies/Affairs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 46 D | 88 A | 74 B | 64 C |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $59,893 | $84,830 | $72,857 | $66,845 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $40,930 | $55,377 | $47,208 | $45,013 |
| ROI vs cost | +86% | +400% | +239% | +173% |
| Typical debt | $22,564 | $21,120 | $28,128 | $21,781 |
| Colleges offering it | 126 | 371 | 145 | 33 |
Geography and Cartography earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Geography and Cartography
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $75,692 | $12,500 | +1,550% | Strong return |
| 2 | Front Range Community College Westminster, CO | Certificate | $64,201 | — | +1,374% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $51,430 | — | +977% | Strong return |
| 4 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA | Certificate | $58,923 | — | +903% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Associate's | $71,605 | — | +887% | Strong return |
| 6 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | Associate's | $72,207 | — | +840% | Strong return |
| 7 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ | Associate's | $70,982 | — | +818% | Strong return |
| 8 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Associate's | $66,360 | $15,974 | +772% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $77,031 | $23,250 | +704% | Strong return |
| 10 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Certificate | $102,621 | — | +704% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $68,424 | $13,296 | +682% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Associate's | $59,516 | — | +640% | Strong return |
| 13 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | Associate's | $65,411 | $13,000 | +634% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $56,172 | $16,407 | +616% | Strong return |
| 15 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus University Park, PA | Certificate | $100,534 | — | +610% | Strong return |
| 16 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | Associate's | $72,290 | — | +593% | Strong return |
| 17 | Portland State University Portland, OR | Professional | $71,229 | — | +587% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $67,979 | $17,501 | +565% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | Certificate | $79,919 | $33,037 | +563% | Strong return |
| 20 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | Certificate | $74,727 | — | +535% | Strong return |
| 21 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN | Associate's | $61,359 | — | +505% | Strong return |
| 22 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Associate's | $53,372 | — | +498% | Strong return |
| 23 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $56,172 | $16,407 | +486% | Strong return |
| 24 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $52,460 | — | +469% | Strong return |
| 25 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $64,927 | $11,210 | +466% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.