# University of South Carolina-Columbia: Geography (bachelor's)

Columbia, SC. IPEDS 218663, CIP 45.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/geography

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $46,929
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $59,472 (U.S. median for this major: $57,751 across 116 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $23,250 (U.S. median $22,851)
- Rank in SC: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,721

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.13 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $59,472 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,634 | $52,178 | 2.0 years |
| 30-48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 2.4 years |
| 48-75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 3.2 years |
| 75-110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 3.9 years |
| 110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 4.5 years |

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

## Geography at SC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | $59,472 | $23,250 | $22,811 | 79% |

## Careers
- Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (SOC 17-1021): median wage not reported Columbia, SC, $72,260 SC, $81,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.4% by 2035
- Geographers (SOC 19-3092): median wage not reported Columbia, SC, $63,130 SC, $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).