University of California-Santa Cruz Geology / Earth Science: earnings, debt & careers

Geology / Earth Science graduates of University of California-Santa Cruz earn a median $64,499 four years after graduating ($43,362 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $20,833. That is $4,046 above the U.S. median for Geology / Earth Science graduates ($60,453 across 137 colleges), and ranks 10th of 13 California colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$64,499

U.S. median for this major: $60,453.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$43,362

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,833

About 32% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$17,890 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $41,179. College Scorecard.

Geology / Earth Science at California colleges

Every California college we cover that reports Geology / Earth Science graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of California-Los Angeles$79,143—$12,54893%
2San Diego State University$73,647$21,500$15,36476%
3California State University-Sacramento$73,418$15,000$9,33856%
4University of California-Davis$73,337$16,416$14,74186%
5California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$73,305$19,375$11,53168%
6University of California-Irvine$70,820$15,000$14,25187%
7California State University-Bakersfield$69,989—$5,65250%
8California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$69,227$15,000$16,66586%
9University of California-Santa Barbara$66,788$21,800$16,10983%
10University of California-Santa Cruz$64,499$20,833$17,89075%
11University of California-Riverside$59,677—$14,30476%
12California State University-Fullerton$58,891$15,125$6,55570%
13California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt$53,371$20,526$13,17149%

29 more California colleges offer Geology / Earth Science but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Geology / Earth Science graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Santa Cruz area$202,380
California$210,230
U.S.$167,220

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +8.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

Santa Cruz area$136,120
California$106,500
U.S.$101,920

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.1% 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 University of California-Santa Cruz, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of California-Santa Cruz

Related majors at University of California-Santa Cruz

  • Chemistry$71,348
  • Physics—
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics—
  • Physical Sciences—

University of California-Santa Cruz Geology / Earth Science questions

How much do University of California-Santa Cruz Geology / Earth Science graduates earn?

Geology / Earth Science graduates of University of California-Santa Cruz earn a median $64,499 four years after graduating and $43,362 one year after. The U.S. median for Geology / Earth Science graduates across 137 colleges is $60,453.

How much debt do University of California-Santa Cruz Geology / Earth Science graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Geology / Earth Science graduates of University of California-Santa Cruz is $20,833, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.

Where does University of California-Santa Cruz rank for Geology / Earth Science in California?

Of 13 California colleges reporting Geology / Earth Science graduate earnings, University of California-Santa Cruz ranks 10th. The highest is University of California-Los Angeles at $79,143.

What jobs do Geology / Earth Science graduates get?

A common career is natural sciences managers, with a median wage of $202,380 in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA area and $167,220 nationally. Others include geoscientists, except hydrologists and 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
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Cite this: “University of California-Santa Cruz Geology / Earth Science: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/geology-earth-science (College Scorecard and BLS data).