Program Analysis
Graduates earn $41,430/yr, roughly in line with the $40,255 national median for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
At 9.9x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 52% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $41,430 far exceeding the $18,625 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #6 out of 11 programs, University of Missouri-Columbia's financial outcomes for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,430 to $56,605 shows 37% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.