Geography and Cartography at North Carolina State University at Raleigh

A post-baccalaureate certificate costing $20,868 should deliver clear career acceleration, but NC State's Geography and Cartography program shows puzzling underperformance. First-year earnings of $55,320 fall below the national median for this credential, and at the 5th percentile nationally, this ranks near the bottom. The one reassuring data point: NC State reaches the 40th percentile among North Carolina programs, suggesting Duke's outsized earnings may be skewing state comparisons. Still, graduates here earn $8,000 less annually than Duke certificate holders—a meaningful gap when the debt load is identical.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 isn't alarming on its face, but context matters. These students already hold bachelor's degrees and are taking on additional debt for career advancement. When the earnings boost appears this modest, the return on investment becomes questionable. You'd expect a specialized credential from a strong public university to position graduates more competitively.

The critical caveat: this cohort includes fewer than 30 graduates, meaning one or two unusual outcomes could distort the entire picture. Before dismissing this program, investigate whether the low earnings reflect part-time work, career changers still in transition, or other temporary factors. If your student is considering this certificate, they should speak directly with program administrators about typical career outcomes and whether graduates are actually working in geography or cartography roles that justify the investment.