Geography and Cartography (Bachelor's Degree) at University of Southern California

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$35,426

Est. from CA median (13 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,000

Est. from national median (7 programs)

Analysis

USC's elite reputation doesn't appear to translate into premium outcomes for geography majors. Based on comparable programs across California, graduates can expect first-year earnings around $35,400—below the national median for this field and notably less than what geography majors at Cal State Sacramento ($48,200) or even Chico State ($40,400) actually earn. Combined with an estimated $25,000 in debt (typical for USC's private school model), this creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 that's workable but hardly impressive for one of the nation's most selective universities.

The context matters here: you're paying for a 10% admission rate and 1500 SAT scores, yet the estimated earnings barely match the California median. Geography programs can lead to solid careers in urban planning, GIS, and environmental consulting, but those career paths don't typically command the salary premiums that justify USC's tuition structure. The $10,000 debt difference between this program's estimate and the state median represents real money that compounds over a decade of repayment.

If your child is set on geography at a selective institution, the data suggests looking at UC Santa Barbara or the stronger CSU programs, where actual reported outcomes show competitive earnings with substantially less debt. USC makes sense for fields where its network and prestige create measurable advantages—geography appears not to be one of them.

Where University of Southern California Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all geography and cartography bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Geography and Cartography bachelors's programs at peer institutions in California (22 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles	$68,237	$35,426*	—	$25,000*	—
California State University-SacramentoSacramento	$7,602	$48,227*	$52,747	$15,881*	0.33
Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park	$8,190	$40,614*	—	$11,000*	0.27
California State University-ChicoChico	$8,064	$40,380*	$50,787	$19,250*	0.48
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego	$8,290	$38,648*	—	$14,999*	0.39
University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara	$14,965	$37,398*	$57,435	$13,750*	0.37
National Median	—	$38,726*	—	$22,657*	0.59

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with geography and cartography graduates

Geographers

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

$97,200/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in geography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Research, study, and prepare maps and other spatial data in digital or graphic form for one or more purposes, such as legal, social, political, educational, and design purposes. May work with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). May design and evaluate algorithms, data structures, and user interfaces for GIS and mapping systems. May collect, analyze, and interpret geographic information provided by geodetic surveys, aerial photographs, and satellite data.

$78,380/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

$51,940/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Managers, All Other

All managers not listed separately.

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.

Compliance Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities of an organization to ensure compliance with ethical or regulatory standards.

Wind Energy Operations Managers

Manage wind field operations, including personnel, maintenance activities, financial activities, and planning.

Wind Energy Development Managers

Lead or manage the development and evaluation of potential wind energy business opportunities, including environmental studies, permitting, and proposals. May also manage construction of projects.

Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers

Plan and direct cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties for reuse. Does not include properties sufficiently contaminated to qualify as Superfund sites.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At University of Southern California, approximately 22% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 13 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.