Geology Degree in Eugene, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Geology degree analysis for Eugene, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$65K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$107K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Eugene
Cost of Living
130
index (100 = avg)
Geology in Eugene, OR Overview
Eugene, Oregon (pop. 176,654) has 14 colleges offering Geology programs. The local cost of living index of 130 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,157/month. Geology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Mineralogy and GIS. The adjusted starting salary in Eugene is approximately $65,000, growing to $106,600 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$12,720/yr
Private Tuition
$33,710/yr
Room & Board
$18,672/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,904/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
68%
Geology Salary in Eugene (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Eugene's cost of living index of 130 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geology salary: $50,000 starting, $82,000 mid-career, $105,000 senior level.Eugene adjustment factor: 1.30x based on the local cost of living index.
Geology ROI Calculator for Eugene
Estimate your return on investment for a Geology degree using local Eugene tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,720 | Private avg: $33,710
Eugene avg aid: $14,904/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$125,568
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,500
vs HS diploma in Eugene
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Eugene
$550,432
Lifetime earnings premium ($676,000) minus total education cost ($125,568)
Student Loan Payoff for Geology in Eugene
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Eugene for Geology
University of Oregon
public
$12,720/yr
$50,880 total
Northwest Christian University
private
$33,710/yr
$134,840 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lane Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Geology in Eugene
Eugene offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Eugene Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geology Job Titles
Geology in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$56K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Salem, OR
$60K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$55K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$58K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$54K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$53K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$56K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$60K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Eugene
Prompt Engineering
$65K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$124K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$111K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$114K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$107K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$65K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geology Degree in Eugene — 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 Eugene.