Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Based on comparable geosciences programs nationally, new graduates typically earn around $39,700 in their first year while carrying roughly $24,800 in debt. That 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment—monthly loan payments would consume about 6% of gross income—but the bigger question is whether these early earnings align with New Hampshire's cost of living and career expectations in this field.

The earnings estimate sits notably below what other New Hampshire geosciences programs report. Southern New Hampshire University's graduates, for instance, earn a verified $45,700 their first year out, about $6,000 more than what peer programs suggest for UNH. This gap matters in a state where housing and living costs run high. Whether this difference reflects UNH's specific program outcomes, regional job placement patterns, or simply the limitations of using national benchmarks for a small program remains unclear without actual data from UNH graduates.

For parents weighing this investment, the fundamentals look reasonable—geosciences offers practical career paths, and the estimated debt load shouldn't be crushing. But given that we're working from national averages rather than UNH's actual track record, and knowing that at least one peer program in the state produces higher verified earnings, it's worth investigating whether UNH's geology graduates specifically land the kinds of positions that justify the program's cost. Direct conversations with the department about recent graduate outcomes would fill in what the missing data can't tell us.