Geography and Cartography (Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma) at Lake Land College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,295

Est. from national median (14 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$21,644

Est. from national median (11 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 suggests manageable borrowing for this geography credential, though the picture here relies entirely on national benchmarks since Lake Land hasn't graduated enough students in this program for the Department of Education to report actual outcomes. Based on comparable certificate programs nationwide, first-year earnings around $41,000 paired with roughly $22,000 in debt falls within a workable range—you're looking at debt equivalent to about six months of income.

What complicates the assessment is that other geography programs in Illinois show stronger earnings potential. DePaul's program, for instance, reports median earnings of $47,464—about $6,000 more than what peer certificate programs nationally suggest. Whether that difference reflects the value of a bachelor's degree versus a certificate, Chicago's job market versus rural Illinois, or something else entirely isn't clear from the data. For a community college certificate, though, the national benchmarks here aren't alarming.

The real question is whether this specific certificate opens doors your child wants opened. With no direct track record to evaluate, you're essentially betting that Lake Land's outcomes will mirror the national average for similar programs. That's not unreasonable for a community college credential with modest debt, but understand you're making that investment with limited visibility into how this particular program performs.

Where Lake Land College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Geography and Cartography certificate's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (7 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Lake Land CollegeMattoon	$4,280	$41,295*	—	$21,644*	—
DePaul UniversityChicago	$44,460	$47,464*	—	$23,412*	0.49
National Median	—	$41,294*	—	$22,197*	0.54

* 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 Lake Land College, approximately 27% 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 national median of 14 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.