Best Value Geography and Cartography Colleges

CUNY Hunter College stands out with the lowest net cost at $2,446, delivering Geography and Cartography education for less than many students spend on textbooks. This dramatic affordability comes at the expense of earnings potential, with graduates earning $19,227 compared to University of North Carolina at Charlotte's $46,869. The $44,423 earnings gap between these programs illustrates how location and institutional resources shape career outcomes in spatial sciences. Geography and cartography professionals find growing opportunities across the Northeast corridor, where federal agencies like NOAA and private firms increasingly rely on geographic information systems for urban planning and environmental monitoring. California dominates this value ranking with four CSU campuses, reflecting the state's leadership in geospatial technology and environmental science industries. Students can expect net costs ranging from Hunter's $2,446 to UNC Charlotte's $14,745, while graduation rates vary significantly from Indiana University-Southeast's 33.40% to University of Florida's impressive 91.50%. The field benefits from rising demand for geographic data analysis in climate research, urban development, and digital mapping technologies that power everything from ride-sharing apps to disaster response systems.

Programs

$2,446 – $17,883

Net Price Range

$36,729

Avg. Program Earnings

63.6%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Geography and Cartography Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$4,113	$33,993	$6,813	52.6%	86.9%
2	CUNY Hunter College New York, New York	$2,446	$19,227	$7,382	61.0%	47.9%
3	University of Florida-Online Gainesville, Florida	$4,702	$35,954	$3,876	77.7%	64.6%
4	California State University-Fresno Fresno, California	$6,480	$39,009	$6,980	54.8%	95.4%
5	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$35,954	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
6	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, California	$5,646	$28,309	$7,073	69.2%	66.7%
7	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$8,896	$41,565	$17,462	59.5%	97.9%
8	New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, New Mexico	$6,747	$29,685	$8,147	52.2%	78.1%
9	Indiana University-Southeast New Albany, Indiana	$8,257	$32,569	$8,179	33.4%	85.2%
10	California State University-Northridge Northridge, California	$7,599	$28,366	$7,095	56.2%	91.2%
11	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$11,504	$41,565	$17,462	56.7%	97.4%
12	Northern Illinois University Dekalb, Illinois	$12,909	$44,189	$12,700	49.6%	70.7%
13	Eastern Washington University Cheney, Washington	$13,091	$42,682	$8,353	47.2%	96.1%
14	University of North Alabama Florence, Alabama	$11,024	$35,060	$11,990	54.0%	95.7%
15	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, North Carolina	$14,745	$46,869	$7,214	67.7%	79.6%
16	University of South Florida Tampa, Florida	$10,043	$31,839	$6,410	74.6%	43.9%
17	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$27,874	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
18	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$13,339	$41,565	$17,452	65.4%	97.3%
19	Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky	$10,916	$33,993	$11,436	53.7%	97.0%
20	Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana	$11,408	$35,420	$10,449	53.9%	82.9%
21	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979	$46,087	$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
22	Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Edwardsville, Illinois	$13,696	$41,789	$12,922	55.0%	97.5%
23	University of Nevada-Reno Reno, Nevada	$15,402	$46,087	$8,994	62.4%	85.6%
24	Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona	$14,922	$44,384	$12,652	56.9%	80.0%
25	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, California	$10,512	$31,133	$7,602	55.8%	93.2%
26	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, Connecticut	$14,059	$41,565	$17,472	56.9%	92.2%
27	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina	$10,170	$29,685	$7,593	57.9%	91.9%
28	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$13,670	$39,832	$12,051	67.8%	89.8%
29	University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, Hawaii	$13,181	$38,289	$12,186	62.6%	72.8%
30	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$40,537	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
31	Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia	$14,170	$38,289	$12,262	44.4%	95.1%
32	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$36,164	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
33	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$37,208	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
34	Brigham Young University Provo, Utah	$14,487	$37,671	$6,496	82.2%	66.7%
35	University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah	$13,172	$33,993	$9,315	63.9%	89.1%
36	University of Georgia Athens, Georgia	$13,816	$35,420	$11,180	87.2%	42.6%
37	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, Maryland	$15,590	$39,832	$11,505	88.6%	44.6%
38	Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida	$10,997	$28,055	$5,656	83.0%	25.0%
39	Towson University Towson, Maryland	$16,791	$42,682	$11,306	67.6%	78.6%
40	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, Wisconsin	$14,785	$37,208	$8,250	64.3%	82.4%
41	Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia	$16,972	$42,682	$5,786	48.1%	67.9%
42	Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, Minnesota	$14,485	$36,312	$10,117	46.9%	95.3%
43	Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington	$14,715	$36,560	$9,192	49.9%	93.5%
44	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California	$13,825	$33,993	$14,965	85.3%	25.9%
45	Radford University Radford, Virginia	$16,640	$40,647	$12,286	49.6%	93.3%
46	East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee	$15,794	$38,289	$9,950	49.9%	85.3%
47	Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio	$11,877	$28,598	$10,791	52.9%	80.6%
48	University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, Wisconsin	$14,714	$35,416	$8,606	60.9%	84.5%
49	Augustana College Rock Island, Illinois	$12,437	$29,685	$49,834	79.2%	61.2%
50	Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas	$17,883	$42,682	$10,942	70.5%	95.1%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the massive earnings difference between the highest and lowest paying programs?

UNC Charlotte graduates earn $46,869 while CUNY Hunter College graduates earn $19,227, creating a $27,642 gap that reflects regional job markets and program focus. Charlotte's location in a growing metropolitan area with strong banking and logistics sectors provides more high-paying opportunities for geospatial professionals. Hunter College's urban setting offers different advantages but typically lower starting salaries. The 67.70% graduation rate at UNC Charlotte also suggests stronger program completion support.

How do California State Universities compare for geography value?

Four CSU campuses make this list with net costs between $4,113 and $7,599, offering consistent affordability across the state. CSU Fresno leads in earnings at $39,009 despite a 95.43% acceptance rate, while CSU Northridge graduates earn $28,366 with the lowest debt at $12,500. CSU Los Angeles provides the best overall value with $4,113 net cost and $33,993 earnings. All four maintain graduation rates above 50%, reflecting solid program quality across the system.

Does University of Florida justify its competitive admission requirements?

University of Florida accepts only 23.35% of applicants but delivers a 91.50% graduation rate, the highest among these programs. Graduates earn $35,954 with relatively low debt of $16,407, creating strong return on investment despite the selective admissions. The $6,351 net cost remains reasonable for such outcomes. The online version offers similar earnings with 77.70% graduation rate and even lower net cost at $4,702.

Where can students find the most affordable geography programs?

CUNY Hunter College offers the lowest net cost at $2,446, followed by University of Florida-Online at $4,702 and CSU Los Angeles at $4,113. These three programs provide access for under $5,000 annually. Hunter College's $7,382 in-state tuition reflects New York's support for public education, while Florida's online option eliminates many campus-based expenses. California's low community college transfer rates help keep CSU costs manageable for geography majors.

What graduation rate patterns emerge across these geography programs?

Graduation rates span from Indiana University-Southeast's concerning 33.40% to University of Florida's strong 91.50%. Programs with rates above 60% include Hunter College (61.00%), UF-Online (77.70%), CSU Fullerton (69.20%), and UNC Charlotte (67.70%). Schools with higher net costs don't always correlate with better completion rates, as CSU Fresno achieves 54.80% graduation despite 95.43% acceptance. The wide variation suggests significant differences in student support and program rigor.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.