Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

The $24,757 in estimated debt for this geology bachelor's degree aligns with national medians for the field, but the projected first-year earnings of roughly $40,000 create a debt burden that's manageable yet not exceptional. Similar geology programs across the country typically produce a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, meaning graduates carry debt equal to about 62% of their first-year salary—a workable starting point, though hardly impressive for a STEM-adjacent field. For context, Tennessee's other geology programs show reported earnings ranging from about $30,000 to $34,000, suggesting that the national estimate used here may actually be optimistic for in-state outcomes.

What complicates this picture is that we're working entirely with estimates since UTC's geology program is too small to generate reportable data. That means your child would be entering a program where the actual track record remains invisible—peer program data suggests reasonable outcomes, but you won't find concrete evidence of where UTC's specific graduates land or what employers value them. The relatively accessible admission profile (77% acceptance rate, modest test scores) paired with 32% of students on Pell grants indicates a regional university serving a broad student base, not necessarily one with robust industry connections in geosciences.

If your child is passionate about geology and plans to pursue graduate work—where the real career opportunities in this field typically emerge—this could serve as an affordable launching pad. But as a terminal bachelor's degree, the estimated outcomes suggest entry-level work with modest pay and several years of loan payments ahead.