Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences graduates from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology earn $48,069 median salary — below the national average for this program.
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City, South Dakota • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 13 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $48,069 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $52,475 across all institutions offering Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, graduates here earn below the national average for this program. Across all programs at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the mean median-earnings figure is $85,137, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus | $85,207 | $27,000 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | $83,481 | $16,993 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Beaver | $81,092 | $25,648 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | $81,092 | $25,648 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | $81,092 | $25,648 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $79,143 | — |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | $74,594 | $18,686 |
| Texas Tech University | $74,591 | $25,250 |
| San Diego State University | $73,647 | $21,500 |
| California State University-Sacramento | $73,418 | $15,000 |
Other Programs at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering-Related Fields | $126,787 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $95,639 | $27,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $94,201 | $22,020 |
| Industrial Engineering | $92,815 | $25,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $90,845 | $27,000 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $88,904 | $27,164 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,350 | $25,500 |
| Civil Engineering | $83,155 | — |
| Civil Engineering | $80,613 | $27,000 |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | $75,779 | — |
View all 13 programs at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.