Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at University of Wisconsin-Parkside

With first-year earnings of just $29,117, UW-Parkside's geosciences program trails far behind what students can expect from similar programs across Wisconsin. The state median sits at $43,000—nearly $14,000 higher—and even the lowest-ranked peer programs at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Eau Claire produce graduates earning 40-50% more in their first year. For context, these earnings place the program in the bottom 10% statewide and bottom 5% nationally, a troubling position for a field that typically offers solid middle-class prospects.

The modest debt load of $26,925 doesn't salvage the value equation here. While that's slightly above the national median for geosciences programs, the real problem is what graduates earn relative to what they owe. When your first-year salary barely exceeds your student loans, you're facing a much tougher financial start than peers at other Wisconsin schools who are earning 50% more with similar debt burdens.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers might not represent the typical outcome. But even accounting for statistical noise, the gap between Parkside and other Wisconsin programs is too wide to ignore. If your child is serious about geosciences, the in-state alternatives at Madison, Eau Claire, or Milwaukee appear substantially stronger investments, offering the earning power that makes geology a viable career path.