# Western Washington University: Geology / Earth Science (bachelor's)

Bellingham, WA. IPEDS 237011, CIP 40.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-washington-university/majors/geology-earth-science

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $36,802
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $67,208 (U.S. median for this major: $60,453 across 137 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,158 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in WA: 1 of 6 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the WA median for this major (6 colleges, $62,658): +$4,550
- Versus the U.S. median: +$6,755

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.43 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $67,208 minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,915 | $57,213 | 2.1 years |
| 30-48k | $14,147 | $62,671 | 2.3 years |
| 48-75k | $17,539 | $77,698 | 2.9 years |
| 75-110k | $24,301 | $107,653 | 4.0 years |
| 110k+ | $27,984 | $123,969 | 4.6 years |

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

## Geology / Earth Science at WA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington University | $67,208 | $26,158 | $21,193 | 65% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $66,845 | $20,500 | $14,091 | 85% |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $66,845 | $20,500 | $12,319 | 65% |
| Pacific Lutheran University | $58,472 | not reported | $19,589 | 69% |
| Central Washington University | $53,987 | not reported | $18,476 | 54% |
| Washington State University | $45,002 | $22,905 | $14,971 | 61% |

## Careers
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage $134,220 Bellingham, WA, $182,480 WA, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% by 2035
- Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (SOC 19-2042): median wage $87,270 Bellingham, WA, $105,020 WA, $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).