Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at California State University-Chico

California's geoscience programs show a wide earnings spread, and based on comparable programs statewide, Chico State appears to land near the middle of the pack. Similar programs in California suggest first-year earnings around $40,000—right at the state median but well below what graduates from Cal Poly SLO ($48,489) or Pomona ($49,406) typically earn. That's a roughly 20% earnings gap that matters when you're paying back student loans, even modest ones.

The estimated debt load of $17,896 is actually $7,000 lower than the national median for geoscience programs, giving this program a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45—manageable by most standards. Peer programs across California carry similar debt levels, which likely reflects state university tuition structures more than anything specific to Chico. For a field where many graduates pursue additional credentials or enter entry-level positions in environmental consulting or resource management, starting with less debt provides useful flexibility.

The challenge here is transparency: we're working entirely with estimates because this program's graduate cohort was too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. That means your child would be making this investment without knowing how Chico State's specific geology graduates actually fare in the job market. If they're committed to geosciences, visiting the department to ask about recent graduate placements and industry connections would help fill that gap before committing.