Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at University of Florida

The numbers tell a straightforward story: University of Florida's geosciences graduates start near $41,000 and climb to $50,000 within four years—a respectable 23% gain that beats both the national and state medians. Among Florida's ten geosciences programs, this ranks at the 60th percentile, essentially tied with UF's online counterpart but trailing the University of South Florida's $48,565. At the national level, it lands squarely in the middle of the pack at the 56th percentile, ahead of most programs but not exceptional.

The debt picture looks manageable. At roughly $25,000, graduates owe about half their starting salary, which translates to reasonable monthly payments even on entry-level wages. This ratio gives most students enough breathing room to handle repayment while building their careers, whether they're headed toward environmental consulting, resource extraction, or graduate programs where many geoscience majors eventually land.

For Florida families, this represents solid middle-tier value from a selective public flagship. You're not getting the earnings premium of USF's program, but you're also accessing a well-regarded university at in-state tuition rates with debt levels that won't dominate your graduate's financial life. The real question is whether your student plans to pursue graduate work—common in this field—in which case the moderate debt load becomes even more important.