Geography and Cartography (Bachelor's Degree) at Chicago State University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,449

Est. from IL median (4 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,775

Est. from IL median (3 programs)

Analysis

Chicago State's geography program serves a predominantly working-class student body—over half receive Pell grants—and based on comparable Illinois programs, appears to deliver competitive outcomes. With estimated first-year earnings around $41,400 and debt near $23,800, the financial picture mirrors the state median and actually exceeds the national typical earnings of $38,700 for geography bachelor's degrees.

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 suggests graduates would dedicate roughly seven months of their first year's salary to debt repayment, a manageable burden compared to many bachelor's programs. Geography and cartography skills—particularly in GIS technology and spatial analysis—have growing demand across government agencies, urban planning offices, and private firms. The field's small size (only 16 Illinois schools offer this degree) may work in graduates' favor when competing for these specialized positions.

What matters here is whether your student has genuine interest in spatial science and mapping technology. The estimated numbers suggest this path won't bury them in debt while building marketable technical skills, but since these figures come from peer programs rather than Chicago State's actual track record, connecting with current students or alumni about their post-graduation experiences would add crucial context that the sparse data can't provide.

Where Chicago State University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all geography and cartography bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Geography and Cartography bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (16 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Chicago State UniversityChicago	$12,754	$41,449*	—	$23,775*	—
Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville	$12,922	$44,543*	$51,648	$23,775*	0.53
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign	$16,004	$42,214*	—	$25,000*	0.59
Augustana CollegeRock Island	$49,834	$40,683*	—	$27,000*	0.66
Illinois State UniversityNormal	$16,021	$34,952*	—	$15,500*	0.44
National Median	—	$38,726*	—	$22,657*	0.59

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with geography and cartography graduates

Geographers

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

$97,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.

$78,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

$51,940/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Wind Energy Operations Managers

Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Chicago State University, approximately 55% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.