Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Miami University-Oxford

Miami University's geosciences program produces starting salaries around $38,500—slightly below both the national median ($39,700) and trailing in-state competitors like Ohio State ($41,200) and Kent State ($40,000). However, the debt picture offers some relief: graduates leave with about $21,000 in loans, roughly $3,700 less than the national median and competitive with Ohio's $19,500 state average. This creates a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, meaning students typically owe just over half their first-year salary.

The 24% earnings jump to nearly $48,000 by year four suggests decent career progression, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means individual career paths could vary significantly. The relatively low debt load becomes the program's strongest selling point—students aren't mortgaging their future for slightly below-average starting pay.

For Ohio families, this represents a middle-of-the-pack option: you're not getting the earning power of Ohio State's program, but you're also not taking on crushing debt. If your student is committed to geosciences and Miami feels like the right fit academically and socially, the financial equation works—just understand they'll likely start a few thousand behind peers at flagship programs.