Home Schools University of Colorado Boulder Geosciences
Physical Sciences · Geosciences Rank #29 of 103

Geosciencesat University of Colorado Boulder

Graduates earn $46,263/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Geosciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $590K; scenarios range from $544K to $602K depending on AI disruption.

Boulder, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
47 AVERAGE
48
Optimistic
47
Pessimistic
Earnings
$46,263
1-year post-graduation
ROI
8.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$590K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
50% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Colorado Boulder

Graduates earn $46,263/yr, edging above the $39,933 national average for Geosciences — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

At 9.0x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,500 in median debt against $46,263 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #29 out of 103 programs, University of Colorado Boulder's Geosciences offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $46,263 to $61,825 shows 34% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$544K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple8.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$590K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple9.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$602K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple9.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Colorado Boulder's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Geosciences graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
2
Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
+2.6% 10-yr growth · 1,000 openings/yr
$101,390/yr
Moderate
3
Geoscientists, except hydrologists and geographers
+3.2% 10-yr growth · 2,000 openings/yr
$99,240/yr
Moderate
4
Hydrologists
-0.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$92,060/yr
High
5
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
+2.2% 10-yr growth · 1,900 openings/yr
$86,220/yr
Moderate
6
Hydrologic technicians
-2.1% 10-yr growth · 400 openings/yr
$58,570/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Geosciences

How University of Colorado Boulder stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Iowa State University
IA · Public
51
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
12.0x
ROI
College of Charleston
SC · Public
51
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
10.5x
ROI
University of South Florida
FL · Public
58
DW Score
$49K
1-yr earn
22.9x
ROI
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
MI · Public
44
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
7.1x
ROI
Top score
University of Wyoming
WY · Public
59
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
24.6x
ROI
Also at University of Colorado Boulder

Other top programs at University of Colorado Boulder

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Colorado Boulder, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Geosciences at University of Colorado Boulder

How does University of Colorado Boulder's Geosciences program score?

This program scores 47/100 — on the lower end for Geosciences. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Geosciences to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Geosciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.