For students starting Sept 2023 onward · threshold £25,000 from April 2026 · interest RPI (3.2%) · written off after 40 yrs · gov.uk ↗
02 — THE VERDICT
YELLOW
Geography / Environmental Science pays back eventually, but slower than it should — and automation risk isn't negligible.
Break-even point
12 yrs post-grad
Total borrowed at grad
£51,750
Balance after 20 yrs
£66,629
🔒 unlock to view
03 — SALARY VS. LOAN BALANCE
Yearly gross salary against your loan balance — rising with interest, falling with repayments, until it's cleared or written off.
Y0Y15Y30
Gross salary
Loan balance
Still £57,456 owed at year 30 — written off entirely at year 40 under Plan 5, after paying £98,658 in repayments.
+11% above what you borrowed
04 — YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN
The material impact, spelled out: gross salary, take-home after the 9% graduate tax, and what's still owed.
Year
Gross
Take-home
Repayment
Loan balance
Year 0
£26k
£22k
£45
£54k
Year 2
£29k
£24k
£398
£57k +6%
Year 5
£35k
£28k
£927
£61k +7%
Year 10
£43k
£33k
£2k
£65k +7%
Year 20
£53k
£39k
£3k
£67k +2%
Year 30
£64k
£44k
£4k
£57k -14%
🔒 Years 10 / 20 / 30 unlock with the full report
05 — DEGREE PATH VS. ALTERNATIVE PATH
Geography / Environmental Science doesn't strictly require a degree to enter. Cumulative net earnings, degree route vs. direct work / apprenticeship — the crossover is the moment the degree route pulls ahead.
Y0Y15Y30
Degree path (cumulative)
Alternative path (cumulative)
Crosses over at year 15 (12 yrs post-grad)
06 — AI-RESILIENCE
LOW RISK
automation exposure for Geography / Environmental Science
Confidence: High. Full driver analysis of task-level automation exposure for this role, sourced from occupational risk modelling.