Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at University of Arkansas at Little Rock

A $40,000 starting salary for a bachelor's in geosciences—based on national peer programs—leaves relatively little cushion against the estimated $24,757 in debt. While the 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio falls within manageable territory (under the conventional 1.0 threshold), geosciences careers often require graduate degrees for meaningful advancement, which means this bachelor's might represent just the first layer of educational debt. Arkansas's four-year programs in this field show considerable variation, with the flagship university reporting first-year earnings around $31,000, roughly $8,600 below the national benchmark this estimate draws from.

The challenge with this program is that we're working entirely from national estimates—no reported outcomes exist for UALR's geosciences graduates specifically, likely due to small cohort size. That makes it difficult to know whether graduates land the typical industry jobs (environmental consulting, energy sector work) that justify the investment, or whether they're underemployed in adjacent fields. The school serves a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (41%), which matters when considering whether families can absorb even moderate debt loads.

For families considering this program: the national data suggests a workable but not generous financial outcome, but you're betting on UALR's program performing at least as well as the typical geosciences program nationwide. If your student is serious about a geosciences career, compare what specific job placement and graduate school admission rates UALR can provide directly before committing.