Geography and Cartography (Bachelor's Degree) at Northern Illinois University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,449

Est. from IL median (4 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$23,775

Est. from IL median (3 programs)

Analysis

Geography programs in Illinois typically cluster around $41,000 in first-year earnings, and Northern Illinois appears to track right along that median. What's more revealing is the trajectory: by year four, graduates reach $56,375—a 36% jump that suggests strong career development in fields like GIS analysis, urban planning, or environmental consulting. Based on comparable programs at similar Illinois public universities, debt loads hover around $24,000, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 that's manageable by most standards.

The estimated figures here align closely with what peer programs actually report—Southern Illinois Edwardsville and UIUC both produce earnings in the low $40,000s—which adds confidence to the projections. Northern Illinois serves a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (46%), so the moderate debt estimate is particularly important: monthly payments on $24,000 would consume a reasonable portion of that first-year salary without becoming overwhelming. Geography and cartography isn't a high-earning field initially, but it's steady work with growth potential, especially as spatial data skills become more valuable.

The real question is whether your student has specific career goals that require this degree. If they're planning to work in GIS, environmental science, or mapping technologies, the numbers work. The debt isn't alarming, the earnings progression is solid, and Northern Illinois delivers outcomes consistent with what you'd expect from a mid-tier public university in this field.

Where Northern Illinois University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all geography and cartography bachelors's programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Northern Illinois University	—	$56,375	—
University of Maryland-College Park	$40,913	$65,748	+61%
Texas A&M University-College Station	$54,204	$64,337	+19%
The University of Texas at Austin	$36,878	$61,313	+66%
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	$44,543	$51,648	+16%

Compare to Similar Programs in Illinois

Geography and Cartography bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Illinois (16 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb	$12,700	$41,449*	$56,375	$23,775*	—
Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville	$12,922	$44,543*	$51,648	$23,775*	0.53
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign	$16,004	$42,214*	—	$25,000*	0.59
Augustana CollegeRock Island	$49,834	$40,683*	—	$27,000*	0.66
Illinois State UniversityNormal	$16,021	$34,952*	—	$15,500*	0.44
National Median	—	$38,726*	—	$22,657*	0.59

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with geography and cartography graduates

Geographers

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

$97,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.

$78,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

$51,940/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Wind Energy Operations Managers

Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Northern Illinois University, approximately 46% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in IL. Actual outcomes may vary.