Geology Degree in Syracuse, NY — Salary & ROI 2026
Geology degree analysis for Syracuse, NY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$69K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$112K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.7 yrs
in Syracuse
Cost of Living
137
index (100 = avg)
Geology in Syracuse, NY Overview
Syracuse, New York (pop. 148,620) has 10 colleges offering Geology programs. The local cost of living index of 137 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,093/month. Geology enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Mineralogy and GIS. The adjusted starting salary in Syracuse is approximately $68,500, growing to $112,340 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
10
Public Tuition
$14,304/yr
Private Tuition
$57,750/yr
Room & Board
$19,896/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,141/yr
Unemployment
4%
Graduation Rate
62%
Geology Salary in Syracuse (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Syracuse's cost of living index of 137 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Geology salary: $50,000 starting, $82,000 mid-career, $105,000 senior level.Syracuse adjustment factor: 1.37x based on the local cost of living index.
Geology ROI Calculator for Syracuse
Estimate your return on investment for a Geology degree using local Syracuse tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,304 | Private avg: $57,750
Syracuse avg aid: $16,141/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$136,800
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,550
vs HS diploma in Syracuse
ROI Payback Period
6.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Syracuse
$575,600
Lifetime earnings premium ($712,400) minus total education cost ($136,800)
Student Loan Payoff for Geology in Syracuse
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Syracuse for Geology
Syracuse University
private
$57,750/yr
$231,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Onondaga Community College
$5,504/yr
Top Employers for Geology in Syracuse
Syracuse offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Geology graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Syracuse Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Geology Job Titles
Geology in Nearby New York Cities
New York City, NY
$83K starting · COL 166
49 colleges
New York, NY
$94K starting · COL 187.2
279 colleges
Oyster Bay, NY
$73K starting · COL 145
11 colleges
Buffalo, NY
$61K starting · COL 122
10 colleges
North Hempstead, NY
$71K starting · COL 141.3
9 colleges
Babylon, NY
$76K starting · COL 152.3
8 colleges
Yonkers, NY
$73K starting · COL 145.3
8 colleges
Rochester, NY
$70K starting · COL 140
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Syracuse
Prompt Engineering
$69K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$130K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$116K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$121K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$112K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$116K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$69K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$110K starting · 3 yr ROI
Geology Degree in Syracuse — 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 Syracuse.