Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology at University of Kansas

Nationally, atmospheric sciences bachelor's programs show remarkable salary consistency, with most graduates starting around $41,000 regardless of where they studied. Kansas has only one program at this level, making direct state comparisons impossible, but the national picture suggests weather science credentials lead to fairly predictable outcomes. The estimated $24,250 debt here falls slightly below the national median of $25,500, which matters when you're looking at a field where earnings don't vary dramatically between programs.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 means graduates from comparable programs typically owe about seven months of their first-year salary—a manageable burden that most meteorology graduates can handle given the field's stable employment prospects in government agencies, media, and private forecasting. However, these are estimates drawn from peer programs across the country, not actual outcomes from Kansas graduates. The suppressed data likely reflects the program's small size rather than problematic results, but it does mean you're making decisions with less certainty than you'd have for larger programs.

For parents weighing this investment, the national consistency in atmospheric sciences outcomes suggests the field itself matters more than the specific institution. If your student is committed to weather science and comfortable with a selective career path, the modest estimated debt level makes this a reasonable choice—just recognize you're relying on how similar programs perform nationally rather than Kansas-specific track records.