Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Columbia University in the City of New York

A $35,000 starting salary from an Ivy League degree raises immediate questions, though the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means this figure could swing dramatically year to year. What's particularly striking is that Columbia's geoscience graduates earn less than their counterparts at SUNY New Paltz ($40,524) and UBuffalo ($39,696)—schools with far lower admission standards and tuition costs. Even statewide, this program falls in the middle of the pack at the 40th percentile.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $21,065, it's lower than both the state and national medians, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a manageable 0.61. For a Columbia degree, graduating with roughly one semester's worth of tuition in debt is relatively modest. The real puzzle is where these graduates go immediately after graduation—whether they're pursuing graduate school (common in geosciences), entering low-paying but prestigious positions, or taking research roles that pay better in the long term isn't captured here.

Given the admission selectivity and resources at Columbia, parents should ask pointed questions about career outcomes beyond that first year. If your child is set on geosciences and considering Columbia, you'd want concrete data on how quickly salaries grow and what percentage of graduates continue to advanced degrees. Otherwise, a SUNY school delivers better immediate earnings at a fraction of the cost.