# Salem State University: Geography (bachelor's)

Salem, MA. IPEDS 167729, CIP 45.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/salem-state-university/majors/geography

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $32,504
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $58,593 (U.S. median for this major: $57,751 across 116 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $22,851)
- Rank in MA: 1 of 5 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MA median for this major (5 colleges, $53,840): +$4,753
- Versus the U.S. median: +$842

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.32 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $58,593 minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,516 | $45,429 | 2.4 years |
| 30-48k | $13,870 | $59,918 | 3.2 years |
| 48-75k | $13,821 | $59,707 | 3.2 years |
| 75-110k | $17,590 | $75,989 | 4.1 years |
| 110k+ | $23,223 | $100,323 | 5.4 years |

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

## Geography at MA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem State University | $58,593 | $27,000 | $15,996 | 50% |
| Bridgewater State University | $57,550 | $27,000 | $16,383 | 53% |
| Framingham State University | $53,840 | not reported | $16,114 | 48% |
| Clark University | $49,230 | $26,500 | $28,714 | 77% |
| Worcester State University | $41,054 | not reported | $13,381 | 62% |

## Careers
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (SOC 17-1021): median wage $90,910 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, $92,230 MA, $81,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Geographers (SOC 19-3092): median wage $117,080 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, $121,300 MA, $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).