Geography and Cartography at University of North Texas

UNT's geography program starts students at roughly $40,000 but delivers something increasingly rare: genuine upward momentum. That 25% earnings jump by year four is exceptional for this field, where many programs see stagnant or declining salaries. While you won't match Texas A&M's $54,000 starting point, this trajectory suggests graduates are finding their footing in fields like GIS analysis or urban planning where experience actually compounds.

The debt picture is manageable—just under $21,000 against that $40,000 first-year salary puts the burden well below concerning levels. Among Texas geography programs, this ranks right at the 60th percentile for earnings, essentially matching the state median. That's solid middle-of-the-pack performance from a school with a 72% admission rate, meaning your child doesn't need perfect credentials to access a program that's competitive with selective alternatives.

The real question is whether $50,000 four years out justifies the degree investment. That depends heavily on geography's fit with your child's skills—technical roles in spatial analysis pay more, while general planning or teaching positions may lag. But if they're drawn to mapping, data visualization, or urban systems, UNT provides a legitimate pathway without crushing debt or the need for an expensive graduate degree to see income growth.