U.S. median for this major: $57,751.
College Scorecard field of study; 29 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 48% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,851.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,146. College Scorecard.
BSU Geography: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Indiana colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Geography nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses BSU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,834 | $32,981 | 1.8 years |
| $30–48k | $9,848 | $41,460 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $14,333 | $60,342 | 3.3 years |
| $75–110k | $19,567 | $82,377 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $23,479 | $98,847 | 5.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (51% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Geography graduates 4 years after graduating ($53,992) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,458 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Careers for Geography graduates
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Geographers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -2.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at BSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BSU
- Acceptance rate: 86% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,833
- Full cost breakdown · all 90 majors · overview
Related majors at BSU
- Political Science$58,953
- Sociology$38,857
- Economics—
- Anthropology$44,371
BSU Geography questions
How much do BSU Geography graduates earn?
Geography graduates of Ball State University earn a median $53,992 four years after graduating and $34,274 one year after. The U.S. median for Geography graduates across 116 colleges is $57,751.
How much debt do BSU Geography graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Geography graduates of Ball State University is $26,000, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,851.
Where does BSU rank for Geography in Indiana?
Of 1 Indiana colleges reporting Geography graduate earnings, Ball State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Geography graduates get?
A common career is cartographers and photogrammetrists, with a median wage of $74,800 in Indiana and $81,390 nationally. Others include geographers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Ball State University Geography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ball-state-university/majors/geography (College Scorecard and BLS data).