U.S. median for this major: $57,751.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 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 22% 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 $34,309. College Scorecard.
Illinois State University Geography: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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 Illinois State University'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 | $11,568 | $49,280 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $12,301 | $52,402 | 1.6 years |
| $48–75k | $16,348 | $69,642 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $23,865 | $101,665 | 3.0 years |
| $110k+ | $28,224 | $120,234 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 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 ($69,383) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $33,586 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.
Geography at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Geography graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $75,877 | $23,775 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 2 | Illinois State University | $69,383 | $15,500 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $62,504 | $25,000 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 4 | Augustana College | $49,763 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | $47,738 | — | $13,391 | 49% |
11 more Illinois colleges offer Geography but have too few graduates to report earnings.
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 Illinois State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Illinois State University
- Acceptance rate: 88% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 65% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $62,117
- Full cost breakdown · all 66 majors · overview
Related majors at Illinois State University
- Political Science$59,571
- Sociology$51,000
- Economics—
- Anthropology$50,177
Illinois State University Geography questions
How much do Illinois State University Geography graduates earn?
Geography graduates of Illinois State University earn a median $69,383 four years after graduating and $34,952 one year after. The U.S. median for Geography graduates across 116 colleges is $57,751.
How much debt do Illinois State University Geography graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Geography graduates of Illinois State University is $15,500, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,851.
Is Illinois State University a good school for Geography in Illinois?
On pay, Geography graduates of Illinois State University earn $69,383 four years out, $6,879 above the median for the same major across 5 Illinois colleges ($62,504) and $11,632 above the U.S. median ($57,751). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Illinois State University rank for Geography in Illinois?
Of 5 Illinois colleges reporting Geography graduate earnings, Illinois State University ranks 2nd. The highest is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at $75,877.
What jobs do Geography graduates get?
A common career is cartographers and photogrammetrists, with a median wage of $54,680 in Illinois 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: “Illinois State University Geography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/illinois-state-university/majors/geography (College Scorecard and BLS data).