# University of Illinois Chicago: Geology / Earth Science (bachelor's)

Chicago, IL. IPEDS 145600, CIP 40.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-chicago/majors/geology-earth-science

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $37,280
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $61,206 (U.S. median for this major: $60,453 across 137 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in IL: 2 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IL median for this major (3 colleges, $61,206): +$0
- Versus the U.S. median: +$753

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.41 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $61,206 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,529 | $33,203 | 1.3 years |
| 30-48k | $8,119 | $35,805 | 1.4 years |
| 48-75k | $10,921 | $48,162 | 1.9 years |
| 75-110k | $16,185 | $71,376 | 2.8 years |
| 110k+ | $25,047 | $110,457 | 4.3 years |

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

## Geology / Earth Science at IL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $68,201 | $23,250 | $14,355 | 85% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $61,206 | $27,000 | $10,974 | 62% |
| Illinois State University | $53,272 | not reported | $19,398 | 65% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $167,040 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $159,670 IL, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042): median wage $114,030 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, $96,950 IL, $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).