# Michigan State University: Geology / Earth Science (bachelor's)

East Lansing, MI. IPEDS 171100, CIP 40.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/geology-earth-science

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $39,997
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $62,448 (U.S. median for this major: $60,453 across 137 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $29,869 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MI: 1 of 7 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (7 colleges, $58,164): +$4,284
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,995

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.24 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $62,448 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,068 | $29,968 | 1.0 years |
| 30-48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 1.6 years |
| 48-75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 2.4 years |
| 75-110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 3.3 years |
| 110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 4.2 years |

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

## Geology / Earth Science at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | $62,448 | $29,869 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Grand Valley State University | $61,868 | $28,750 | $16,317 | 67% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $60,949 | $17,875 | $13,138 | 93% |
| Western Michigan University | $58,164 | not reported | $15,273 | 58% |
| Central Michigan University | $57,438 | $31,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Wayne State University | $57,203 | not reported | $12,766 | 58% |
| Lake Superior State University | $56,905 | not reported | $12,822 | 51% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $109,280 Lansing-East Lansing, MI, $129,070 MI, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042): median wage $91,100 Lansing-East Lansing, MI, $80,990 MI, $101,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.1% 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).