University of Iowa Geography: earnings, debt & careers

Geography graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $59,578 four years after graduating ($45,566 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $23,904. That is $1,827 above the U.S. median for Geography graduates ($57,751 across 116 colleges), and ranks 1st of 1 Iowa colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$59,578

U.S. median for this major: $57,751.

College Scorecard field of study; 18 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$45,566

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$23,904

About 40% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,851.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$22,531 /yr

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

Sticker price $28,596. College Scorecard.

University of Iowa Geography: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Iowa graduates$59,578

Fewer than 3 Iowa colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.

U.S. median (116 colleges)$57,751 (+$1,827)

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 University of Iowa's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$15,316$64,9402.8 years
$30–48k$15,489$65,6732.9 years
$48–75k$19,930$84,5033.7 years
$75–110k$23,811$100,9594.4 years
$110k+$26,266$111,3684.9 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($59,578) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,917 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

Iowa$84,570
U.S.$81,390

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Geographers

Iowa$67,270
U.S.$102,040

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 University of Iowa, by income

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

College Scorecard

About University of Iowa

Related majors at University of Iowa

University of Iowa Geography questions

How much do University of Iowa Geography graduates earn?

Geography graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $59,578 four years after graduating and $45,566 one year after. The U.S. median for Geography graduates across 116 colleges is $57,751.

How much debt do University of Iowa Geography graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Geography graduates of University of Iowa is $23,904, about 40% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,851.

Where does University of Iowa rank for Geography in Iowa?

Of 1 Iowa colleges reporting Geography graduate earnings, University of Iowa ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Geography graduates get?

A common career is cartographers and photogrammetrists, with a median wage of $84,570 in Iowa 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
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Cite this: “University of Iowa Geography: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-iowa/majors/geography (College Scorecard and BLS data).