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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4006

Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 5 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$97,886 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.

$97,886Median year-4 earnings

$16,757Average 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

$97,886Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

42thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

5Reporting programs

5With 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: $76,463
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $60,453
Federal debt: $24,830
Reporting programs: 151

139 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $94,048
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $97,886
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 5

5 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$97,886National median$97,88675th percentile$100,332

5 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Stanford University$120,024 2University of California, San Diego$100,332 3Oregon State University$97,886 4Oregon State University-Cascades Campus$97,886 5The University of Texas at Austin$92,982

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.

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1051 · 8 crosswalk linksNatural Sciences ManagersSOC 11-9121 · 8 crosswalk linksGeoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersSOC 19-2042 · 7 crosswalk linksHydrologistsSOC 19-2043 · 3 crosswalk linksChemistry Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1052 · 1 crosswalk linksGeological Technicians, Except Hydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4043 · 1 crosswalk linksHydrologic TechniciansSOC 19-4044 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR GEOLOGICAL AND EARTH SCIENCES/GEOSCIENCES

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	Stanford UniversityDoctoral Degree	Stanford, CA	$120,024	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,807
2	University of California, San DiegoDoctoral Degree	La Jolla, CA	$100,332	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,470
3	Oregon State UniversityDoctoral Degree	Corvallis, OR	$97,886	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,604
4	Oregon State University-Cascades CampusDoctoral Degree	Bend, OR	$97,886	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,048
5	The University of Texas at AustinDoctoral Degree	Austin, TX	$92,982	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,857

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.