Geography and Cartographyat University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Graduates earn $42,214/yr in their first year — about 10.0% above the national Geography and Cartography average. Base-case 10-year earnings $488K; scenarios range from $461K to $488K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UIUC
At $42,214 per year, Geography and Cartography graduates from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn slightly above the $38,355 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 7.6x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 5% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $24,623 debt-to-$42,214 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
At #62 out of 95 programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's financial outcomes for Geography and Cartography trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UIUC's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Geography and Cartography
How UIUC stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UIUC
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UIUC, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Geography and Cartography offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Geography and Cartography trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Geography and Cartography at UIUC
How does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Geography and Cartography program score?
This program scores 44/100 — on the lower end for Geography and Cartography. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Geography and Cartography to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Geography and Cartography careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.