Geography and Cartography at New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Geography and cartography programs across the U.S. typically produce similar outcomes—median first-year earnings around $38,700 with roughly $22,700 in debt—and this New Mexico State program appears to follow that national pattern. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58 suggests manageable repayment, with borrowers needing to allocate about 8-9% of gross income to standard loan payments. However, the state context raises questions: the University of New Mexico, the only other program with reported data in New Mexico, shows graduates earning just $32,096, well below the national median this estimate is drawn from. Geography careers can vary dramatically—from GIS analysts in tech to urban planners in government—and regional job markets matter enormously for which opportunities are actually available.

The real challenge here is the uncertainty. With New Mexico State's small graduate cohort triggering data suppression, you're making an investment decision without knowing whether this program performs closer to national norms or follows the lower-earning pattern seen at UNM. At a school where 40% of students receive Pell grants and average debt loads are substantial, that gap matters. If actual outcomes trend toward the state median rather than national, those loan payments become considerably tighter. Unless you have specific evidence about job placement rates or can connect with recent graduates directly, you're relying heavily on assumptions about how this particular program prepares students for a field where employment success varies widely by specialization and location.