Home Schools University of Utah Geography and Cartography
Social Sciences · Geography and Cartography Rank #57 of 95

Geography and Cartographyat University of Utah

Graduates earn $41,052/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Geography and Cartography average. Base-case 10-year earnings $482K; scenarios range from $456K to $480K depending on AI disruption.

Salt Lake City, UT Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
46 AVERAGE
47
Optimistic
45
Pessimistic
Earnings
$41,052
1-year post-graduation
ROI
10.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$482K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Utah

University of Utah's Geography and Cartography graduates start at $41,052/yr — above the $38,355 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 12.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 5% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $13,875 in median debt clears quickly against $41,052 in annual earnings.

At #57 out of 95 programs, University of Utah's financial outcomes for Geography and Cartography trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

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
$456K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score45/100
Earnings Multiple12.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$482K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score46/100
Earnings Multiple12.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$480K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score47/100
Earnings Multiple12.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Geography and Cartography 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
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
Geographers
-3.1% 10-yr growth · 100 openings/yr
$97,200/yr
High
3
Geography teachers, postsecondary
+3.3% 10-yr growth · 300 openings/yr
$86,730/yr
Moderate
4
Cartographers and photogrammetrists
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 1,000 openings/yr
$78,380/yr
High
5
Surveying and mapping technicians
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 7,600 openings/yr
$51,940/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 Geography and Cartography

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

Highest earnings
Park University
MO · Private nonprofit
53
DW Score
$59K
1-yr earn
8.0x
ROI
Dartmouth College
NH · Private nonprofit
45
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
1.2x
ROI
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
63
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
12.6x
ROI
University of Nevada-Reno
NV · Public
56
DW Score
$53K
1-yr earn
13.8x
ROI
George Washington University
DC · Private nonprofit
44
DW Score
$53K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
Also at University of Utah

Other top programs at University of Utah

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Utah, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Geography and Cartography at University of Utah

How does University of Utah's Geography and Cartography program score?

This program scores 46/100 — 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.