Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $39,678 track close to the $39,933 national median for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
The 11.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $24,000 debt-to-$39,678 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
Ranked #47 out of 103 programs, University of Akron Main Campus's Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
Earnings growth from $39,678 to $60,028 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.