Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Montana State University

Montana State's geosciences program shows initial earnings that trail the national median by $10,000—placing it in just the 5th percentile nationally—though with only a handful of graduates in this data, these figures may not represent the typical experience. The moderate debt load of $22,250 keeps the financial risk manageable, and the 42% earnings jump to $41,121 by year four suggests graduates eventually catch up to their peers elsewhere. Context matters here: Montana's energy and natural resources sectors may simply pay less than Texas or Colorado, which could explain why this program actually sits at the median for Montana geosciences programs despite ranking so low nationally.

The concerning part is that even after four years of career growth, earnings barely exceed the national starting point for this field. If your child plans to stay in Montana, these numbers may reflect market realities rather than program quality. But if they're eyeing opportunities in states with stronger demand for geoscientists—think oil and gas hubs or major environmental consulting markets—they'll likely face tougher competition from graduates of higher-ranked programs.

The takeaway: This works as an affordable entry point into geosciences if Montana employment is the goal, but families should have honest conversations about geographic mobility and career expectations. With such a small sample size, connecting with alumni directly would provide much clearer insight than these numbers alone.