Geography and Cartography at Northeastern State University

A $22,000 debt load for a geography degree that starts around $39,000 feels manageable on paper—the 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need roughly seven months of gross income to cover their loans. But these figures come from national peer programs, not Northeastern State's own graduates, so there's genuine uncertainty about whether this specific program delivers similar outcomes.

Geography and cartography programs nationally show tight clustering around the $38,700 mark, with even top performers barely breaking $42,500 in first-year earnings. The field doesn't reward credentials with dramatic salary jumps the way tech or engineering might. For a student at an open-admission Oklahoma regional university, the risk isn't catastrophic debt—the estimated borrowing sits below the national median—but rather whether the degree opens enough doors in Oklahoma's job market, where GIS positions and related roles can be scarce outside Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

The practical takeaway: if your child has clear career plans in urban planning, environmental consulting, or GIS analysis, and those plans include relocating to markets where these jobs cluster, the modest debt burden won't be crushing. But geography degrees often require graduate school or specialized certifications to access higher-paying positions, which would add both time and money to the investment. Without knowing how Northeastern State's actual graduates fare, you're banking on this program performing at least as well as typical geography programs nationwide.