Geography and Cartography at Texas State University

Texas State's geography certificate shows strong first-year earnings of $44,270—outpacing the national median by $3,000 and landing in the 83rd percentile nationally. That's a solid start for a certificate program, especially one accessible to students who may not be ready for a four-year commitment. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes it difficult to know if these outcomes are reliable year-over-year.

The debt picture is remarkably clean. At $25,385, graduates carry less debt than 95% of similar programs nationwide, and the 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio means the typical graduate owes about half their first-year salary—manageable by most standards. For comparison, the national median for geography certificates is $22,197, so Texas State students do borrow slightly more, but they're also earning more right out of the gate.

The main caution here is that small-sample-size data. If your child is considering this path, talk directly with the program about recent graduate outcomes and where certificate holders actually land jobs. A certificate can be a smart, lower-cost credential for GIS work or entry into planning fields, but you want to verify these numbers hold up beyond this limited cohort.