Geography and Cartography at Macalester College

Macalester's geography program shows a concerning disconnect between its selective admissions and early career outcomes. First-year graduates earn $30,053—landing in just the 12th percentile nationally and 25th percentile among Minnesota geography programs. For context, Minnesota State-Mankato geography graduates start nearly $10,000 higher, and even the state median sits at $38,019. This gap is particularly striking given Macalester's 28% admission rate and 1424 average SAT score.

The good news is substantial earnings growth: graduates see a 39% jump to $41,857 by year four, which finally approaches competitive levels. The debt picture is reasonable at $19,049 (below both state and national medians), yielding a manageable 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio. However, the low initial earnings matter significantly—those first few years of below-market compensation affect loan repayment timelines and early career financial stability.

For families paying Macalester's private school tuition, the question is whether the liberal arts experience justifies starting $8,000 behind the state median. Geography graduates do catch up somewhat over time, but that initial lag represents real financial pressure during the years when loan payments typically begin. Unless your child has specific reasons to choose Macalester over public alternatives—perhaps research opportunities or graduate school plans—the in-state options deliver better immediate value for this particular field.