Geography and Cartography at University of Oregon

University of Oregon's Geography and Cartography program delivers strong starting salaries—graduates begin at $45,030, which beats 88% of geography programs nationally and sits comfortably above both the national median ($38,726) and Oregon's state median ($40,180). The debt load at $22,775 is perfectly manageable with that first-year salary, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.51. For context, this means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with about half a year's salary, which is excellent positioning for a liberal arts-adjacent field.

The concerning development is what happens after graduation: earnings drop to $41,609 by year four, an 8% decline. This suggests many graduates either transition out of geography-specific work or face a field where advancement is limited without graduate credentials. While the program still ranks in the 60th percentile among Oregon geography programs at the four-year mark, that downward trajectory deserves attention. It's worth noting that Portland State—Oregon's other major geography program—shows significantly lower earnings at $35,330, so U of O maintains its competitive edge even with the decline.

For a student genuinely interested in geography or cartography, this program offers solid entry-level earnings with reasonable debt. Just understand that the four-year horizon looks less promising than year one, which typically signals the need for either pivoting to adjacent careers or pursuing graduate education to unlock higher-paying GIS or planning positions.