Geography and Cartography at West Virginia University

West Virginia University's Geography and Cartography program starts graduates at $34,435—below the national median but exactly at West Virginia's median for this field. With only three schools offering this program statewide and a small sample size, these numbers represent a limited snapshot. The 60th percentile ranking within West Virginia suggests this is a middle-of-the-pack option locally, though the small state sample makes that ranking less meaningful than it might appear.

The encouraging part is the trajectory: earnings jump 43% to $49,126 by year four, well above the national program median. That growth pattern suggests graduates find their footing after initially modest starts, possibly moving into GIS analyst roles or planning positions that value experience. The debt load of $23,089 is manageable, creating a first-year ratio of 0.67 that shouldn't burden graduates even during those leaner early earning years.

The challenge here is evaluation uncertainty. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data, a few outliers could skew the picture considerably. Geography and cartography skills—especially GIS expertise—are increasingly valuable across government, environmental consulting, and urban planning sectors. If your child has genuine interest in spatial analysis and mapping technology, the reasonable debt and strong mid-career growth make this viable. Just recognize you're looking at a small program where individual outcomes may vary more than at larger programs with hundreds of graduates.