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

Bozeman, MT. IPEDS 180461, CIP 40.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/montana-state-university/majors/geology-earth-science

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $29,030
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,241 (U.S. median for this major: $60,453 across 137 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,250 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in MT: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$11,212

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.44 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,241 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MT (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $17,797 | $79,019 | 5.0 years |
| 30-48k | $18,570 | $82,451 | 5.2 years |
| 48-75k | $21,977 | $97,578 | 6.2 years |
| 75-110k | $24,732 | $109,810 | 7.0 years |
| 110k+ | $25,905 | $115,018 | 7.3 years |

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

## Geology / Earth Science at MT colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University | $49,241 | $22,250 | $22,499 | 57% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $122,930 Bozeman, MT, $119,430 MT, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042): median wage $80,260 Bozeman, MT, $75,520 MT, $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).