Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology

First-year earnings of $47,352 place Missouri S&T's geosciences program well above the national pack—in the 93rd percentile among similar programs nationwide. That's a concrete advantage over the typical $39,678 national median for this field. While we're working with estimated debt figures based on 103 peer programs (since graduate counts are too small to report publicly), the projected $24,757 borrowing level aligns with national norms and produces a manageable 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio.

What stands out is how Missouri S&T outperforms other state options, with graduates earning roughly $13,000 more than peers at Missouri State-Springfield. Similar geosciences programs in Missouri typically see median earnings around $40,916, so this represents a meaningful premium—likely reflecting S&T's technical focus and industry connections in extractive industries and environmental consulting. The school's engineering-oriented culture appears to translate into stronger early placement for geology majors.

The caveat: we're comparing actual earnings from this program against estimated debt from peer institutions, so there's inherent uncertainty in the complete financial picture. That said, earning nearly $8,000 above the national median while carrying typical debt loads suggests favorable economics. For families comfortable with the estimation limitations and confident their student will complete the degree, this looks like one of Missouri's stronger geology options—just recognize you're betting on a school's track record rather than having a full dataset for this specific program.