Geology Degree in Salem, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Geology degree analysis for Salem, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$98K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Salem
Cost of Living
120
index (100 = avg)
Geology in Salem, OR Overview
Salem, Oregon (pop. 175,535) has 14 colleges offering Geology programs. The local cost of living index of 120 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,384/month. Geology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Mineralogy and GIS. The adjusted starting salary in Salem is approximately $60,000, growing to $98,400 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
14
Public Tuition
$12,943/yr
Private Tuition
$46,250/yr
Room & Board
$15,380/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,172/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
57%
Geology Salary in Salem (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Salem's cost of living index of 120 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geology salary: $50,000 starting, $82,000 mid-career, $105,000 senior level.Salem adjustment factor: 1.20x based on the local cost of living index.
Geology ROI Calculator for Salem
Estimate your return on investment for a Geology degree using local Salem tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,943 | Private avg: $46,250
Salem avg aid: $14,172/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$113,292
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,000
vs HS diploma in Salem
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Salem
$510,708
Lifetime earnings premium ($624,000) minus total education cost ($113,292)
Student Loan Payoff for Geology in Salem
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Salem for Geology
Willamette University
private
$46,250/yr
$185,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Chemeketa Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Geology in Salem
Salem offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Salem 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
Eugene, OR
$65K starting · COL 130
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 Salem
Prompt Engineering
$60K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$114K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$102K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$106K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$96K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$60K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geology Degree in Salem — 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 Salem.