# Ball State University: Geography (bachelor's)

Muncie, IN. IPEDS 150136, CIP 45.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/ball-state-university/majors/geography

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $34,274
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $53,992 (U.S. median for this major: $57,751 across 116 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,000 (U.S. median $22,851)
- Rank in IN: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$3,759

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.21 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $53,992 minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Geography at IN colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball State University | $53,992 | $26,000 | $14,940 | 62% |

## Careers
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (SOC 17-1021): median wage not reported Muncie, IN, $74,800 IN, $81,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Geographers (SOC 19-3092): median wage not reported Muncie, IN, $63,730 IN, $102,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -2.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).