Geology Degree in Charleston, SC — Salary & ROI 2026
Geology degree analysis for Charleston, SC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$84K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.7 yrs
in Charleston
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Geology in Charleston, SC Overview
Charleston, South Carolina (pop. 150,277) has 9 colleges offering Geology programs. The local cost of living index of 103 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,168/month. Geology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Mineralogy and GIS. The adjusted starting salary in Charleston is approximately $51,500, growing to $84,460 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$13,659/yr
Private Tuition
$29,969/yr
Room & Board
$12,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,774/yr
Unemployment
6.2%
Graduation Rate
62%
Geology Salary in Charleston (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Charleston's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geology salary: $50,000 starting, $82,000 mid-career, $105,000 senior level.Charleston adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Geology ROI Calculator for Charleston
Estimate your return on investment for a Geology degree using local Charleston tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,659 | Private avg: $29,969
Charleston avg aid: $7,774/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,084
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$15,450
vs HS diploma in Charleston
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Charleston
$432,516
Lifetime earnings premium ($535,600) minus total education cost ($103,084)
Student Loan Payoff for Geology in Charleston
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Charleston for Geology
College of Charleston
public
$12,622/yr
$50,488 total
The Citadel
public
$14,696/yr
$58,784 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Trident Technical College
$5,064/yr
Top Employers for Geology in Charleston
Charleston offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Charleston Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geology Job Titles
Geology in Nearby South Carolina Cities
Other STEM Majors in Charleston
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$98K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$91K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geology Degree in Charleston — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Geology ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Charleston.