Geography and Cartographyat University of Maryland-College Park
Graduates earn $40,913/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Geography and Cartography average. Base-case 10-year earnings $709K; scenarios range from $625K to $736K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Maryland-College Park
Your education in Geography and Cartography at UMD-College Park places you squarely in a unique and high-demand regional market. The proximity to Washington D.C. is a significant advantage, as federal agencies like the Census Bureau, USGS, NGA, and various defense contractors constantly seek skilled professionals in geospatial intelligence, data visualization, and spatial analysis. This creates a robust hiring pipeline, driving strong earnings due to concentrated demand for your specialized skills.
You'll find graduates applying their expertise across diverse sectors, from urban planning firms and environmental consultancies to major government contractors like Leidos or Booz Allen Hamilton, often working on complex data interpretation and strategic decision-making. While AI's role is growing, your ability to apply critical thinking and contextualize geographical data for real-world problems remains invaluable. Leverage this by actively pursuing internships within the D.C. metro area to build connections and specialize in areas like geospatial programming or advanced remote sensing.
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 University of Maryland-College Park'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 University of Maryland-College Park stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Maryland-College Park
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Maryland-College Park, 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 University of Maryland-College Park
How does University of Maryland-College Park's Geography and Cartography program score?
This program scores 60/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Geography and Cartography graduates.
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.