Geography and Cartography at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

UNC-Chapel Hill's geography program produces earnings of $42,454 in the first year—landing solidly above the national median and competitive with peer NC programs. Based on comparable programs at UNC-Chapel Hill, graduates likely carry around $23,000 in debt, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 that suggests manageable repayment even at these early-career wages.

What's encouraging here is the earnings consistency across North Carolina's geography programs. UNC-Charlotte and Appalachian State show nearly identical outcomes, while UNC-Greensboro's significantly lower figure appears to be an outlier. This clustering suggests that geography degrees from UNC system schools deliver reliable market value, with Chapel Hill holding its own despite being the most selective option. The program's 74th percentile national ranking indicates stronger placement than three-quarters of geography programs nationwide.

The practical math works: at an estimated $23,000 in debt with $42,500 in first-year earnings, monthly loan payments would consume roughly 8% of gross income under standard repayment. For a program at a highly selective flagship university, this represents a reasonable investment—particularly since geography careers often build toward GIS, urban planning, or environmental consulting roles where mid-career earnings typically exceed entry-level wages. The combination of UNC's academic reputation and outcomes that outpace most geography programs nationally suggests solid value, even accounting for the uncertainty inherent in estimated debt figures.