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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4507

Geography and Cartography: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 17 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$87,165 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.

$87,165Median year-4 earnings

$21,513Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$87,165Median reported earnings · year 4

$85,452Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

59thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

17Reporting programs

17With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

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 →CURRENT VIEW

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$78,144National median$87,16575th percentile$100,602

17 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1George Mason University$114,744 2University of Wisconsin-Madison$111,616 3Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$102,798 4Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$102,798 5George Washington University$100,602 6University of Denver$90,604 7University of Washington-Seattle Campus$90,418 8University of Washington-Tacoma Campus$90,418 9California State University, Long Beach$87,165 10University of Southern California$83,256

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	George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree	Fairfax, VA	$114,744	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,915
2	University of Wisconsin-MadisonMaster's Degree	Madison, WI	$111,616	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,354
3	Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree	University Park, PA	$102,798	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,875
4	Pennsylvania State University-World CampusMaster's Degree	University Park, PA	$102,798	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,550
5	George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$100,602	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,586
6	University of DenverMaster's Degree	Denver, CO	$90,604	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,131
7	University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$90,418	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,091
8	University of Washington-Tacoma CampusMaster's Degree	Tacoma, WA	$90,418	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,163
9	California State University, Long BeachMaster's Degree	Long Beach, CA	$87,165	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,440
10	University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$83,256	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,740
11	University of ArizonaMaster's Degree	Tucson, AZ	$80,622	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,674
12	University of Central ArkansasMaster's Degree	Conway, AR	$79,722	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,511
13	Temple UniversityMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$78,144	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,198
14	Clark UniversityMaster's Degree	Worcester, MA	$76,513	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,714
15	Florida State UniversityMaster's Degree	Tallahassee, FL	$69,641	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,297
16	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree	Tempe, AZ	$69,050	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
17	Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree	Scottsdale, AZ	$69,050	Not available	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.