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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4507

Geography and Cartography: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 17 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$59,554 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.

$59,554Median year-4 earnings

$17,932Average institution net-price context

$22,197Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$59,554Median reported earnings · year 4

$56,415Average reported earnings · year 5

$22,197Median federal debt

69thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

17Reporting programs

15With 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.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $59,554
Federal debt: $22,197
Reporting programs: 17

15 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $57,751
Federal debt: $22,716
Reporting programs: 130

118 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $77,018
Federal debt: $20,830
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $87,165
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 17

17 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $86,247
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 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$57,518National median$59,55475th percentile$64,668

15 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1DePaul University$76,354 2Portland Community College$67,492 3University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown$64,681 4University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$64,681 5Temple University$64,668 6Front Range Community College$62,464 7Texas State University$61,225 8Florida Atlantic University$59,554 9Minnesota State University-Mankato$59,174 10Eastern Washington University$58,134

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.

GeographersSOC 19-3092 · 3 crosswalk linksGeography Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1064 · 3 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 3 crosswalk linksSurveying and Mapping TechniciansSOC 17-3031 · 2 crosswalk linksCartographers and PhotogrammetristsSOC 17-1021 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GEOGRAPHY AND CARTOGRAPHY

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	DePaul UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Chicago, IL	$76,354	$23,412	Baseline needed	$30,902
2	Portland Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Portland, OR	$67,492	$21,644	Baseline needed	$10,405
3	University of Pittsburgh-JohnstownUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Johnstown, PA	$64,681	$25,000	Baseline needed	$18,202
4	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Pittsburgh, PA	$64,681	$25,000	Baseline needed	$30,434
5	Temple UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Philadelphia, PA	$64,668	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,198
6	Front Range Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Westminster, CO	$62,464	$20,354	Baseline needed	$13,031
7	Texas State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	San Marcos, TX	$61,225	$25,385	Baseline needed	$16,805
8	Florida Atlantic UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Boca Raton, FL	$59,554	$19,692	Baseline needed	$8,752
9	Minnesota State University-MankatoUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Mankato, MN	$59,174	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,139
10	Eastern Washington UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Cheney, WA	$58,134	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,886
11	Plymouth State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Plymouth, NH	$57,887	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,216
12	Shippensburg University of PennsylvaniaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Shippensburg, PA	$57,518	$22,750	Baseline needed	$23,726
13	Grand Valley State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Allendale, MI	$56,401	$23,250	Baseline needed	$16,317
14	Appalachian State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Boone, NC	$50,551	$17,750	Baseline needed	$16,836
15	College of Southern IdahoUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Twin Falls, ID	$41,828	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,095
16	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tempe, AZ	Not available	$19,691	Baseline needed	$14,967
17	Arizona State University Digital ImmersionUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Scottsdale, AZ	Not available	$19,691	Baseline needed	Not available

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.