### SUMMARY

 Going to school for Geography and Cartography is a valuable choice and generally an essential first step for undergraduates trying to begin a career as a geoscientist, a gis developer, or a geospatial intelligence analyst. Interestingly, geography and cartography is a fairly common choice ranking as the 86th most popular major. Last year, there were 4,690 geography and cartography diplomas received. In-state tuition for geography and cartography at private institutions is, on average, 4.6 times more pricey than their public counterparts.

 There are 291 universities that offer geography and cartography. This number of colleges is on par with other majors offered in the United States. If you are looking to immerse yourself with other geography and cartography majors, look at universities in California which have the most undergrads admitted to geography and cartography annually. Zooming out, the best region to get a degree in geography and cartography is in the Far West region with [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara), and [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/colleges/university-of-washington-seattle-campus) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick for the best conference to major in geography and cartography is the Pacific-12 Conference with [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/colleges/university-of-washington-seattle-campus), and [Arizona State University-Skysong](/colleges/arizona-state-university-skysong) representing the conference. Based on our extensive list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our choice for the best college for geography and cartography is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago).

 The overall 'best' school does not have to be the 'best' school for you. There might be a bunch more angels to consider when choosing college. Stuff like campus amenities, transportation services, and food would alter your choice of which college to attend. At Authority, we have weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which geography and cartography college has the best campus, the winner is [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles). If you are mostly interested in which school has the top campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, student reviews, professor reviews, and more so we can evaluate each major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can explore our comprehensive list for the schools with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand from that list, our pick for the school with the best student life for geography and cartography is [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison). Curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about our top choices. Some of our picks just might shock you.

 If price is a significant deciding factor in your choice of where you attend college, you might consider avoiding [Colgate University](/colleges/colgate-university). [Colgate University](/colleges/colgate-university)&nbspappears to be the most expensive college for geography and cartography, at least regarding out of state attendance. We do have an entire page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspuniversities that might put the price tag at [Colgate University](/colleges/colgate-university)&nbspinto perspective. Additionally, you may care to know that geography and cartography is the 134th most expensive degree in America, with an average associated cost of $35,200. To zoom out a little, the most costly state for geography and cartography nationally is District of Columbia with costs at the main school, George Washington University, of $54,453. Even more broadly, the most costly region for geography and cartography is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Mount Holyoke College](/colleges/mount-holyoke-college) with a cost of $52,040, [Dartmouth College](/colleges/dartmouth-college) with a cost of $55,605, and [Middlebury College](/colleges/middlebury-college) with a cost of $55,790.

 Our cheapest region for geography and cartography is the Southeast region which is represented by [Arkansas Tech University](/colleges/arkansas-tech-university) with a cost of $11,136, [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College](/colleges/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-mechanical-college) with a cost of $8,038, and [University of Southern Mississippi](/colleges/university-of-southern-mississippi) with a cost of $10,786. On the bright side, the most affordable college for geography and cartography is [California State University-Long Beach](/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach). Authority.org's full list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can expect to pay about $10,200 for a degree in geography and cartography. The cost swells intensely to a median of $23,700 for the out-of-state public-school student. On that note, our choice for the university representing the best value for geography and cartography: [Dartmouth College](/colleges/dartmouth-college). On this page you will see our comprehensive list on the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Do know, this idea is based on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, but as we do not know what state(s) you might qualify for in-state tuition, we are approaching this discussion through out-of-state tuition costs.

 Earnings for geography and cartography students vary widely, but within two-years of finishing the degree students will typically make in the neighborhood of $61,200. There can be a lot of variation in pay; top earners can rake in up to $95,100. Even right out of college, the lowest end positions within the geography and cartography field make $39,800, which is an alright wage. The highest earning grads for geography and cartography studied at [Dartmouth College](/colleges/dartmouth-college)&nbspand if you want to find the colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The general diversity of geography and cartography ranks subpar, ranking in the 49th percentile of all programs. The school with the highest composite diversity for geography and cartography is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list of the universities with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The financial diversity of Geography and Cartography is only in the 70th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is even less in the 42nd percentile. White students make up the largest share, 64%, of students studying geography and cartography. Additionally, 58% of scholars seeking a geography and cartography degree are men.

 The median score of geography and cartography's professors is 3.9 stars, a score which is 2% worse than the average score for every major; which is a subpar score. If you want the most popular geography and cartography professor in the nation, take a look at Jill Knapp from [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). This may come as a shock, but the top rated instructors for geography and cartography from student rankings are at [University of Georgia](/colleges/university-of-georgia). As we including data beyond basic rankings we find that the school with comprehensively the best professors for geography and cartography is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). One can find an explanation of our evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the best examples of instructors in the country.

 Finally, the hardest college to get into for geography and cartography is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we have an extensive page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). Although, here at Authority we hope you understand that looking at university with a lens primarily derived from superlatives might create issues. We at Authority hope you explore our other pages on different schools and explore a couple of our helpful background articles on beneficial details to think about as your college search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Geography and cartography is the 86th most popular degree in America, with 4,690 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #87 [Management Science](/rankings/best-colleges-for-management-science), and narrowly lost to #85 [Advertising](/rankings/best-colleges-for-advertising).

 The degree is offered at a total of 291 colleges across the nation, and is the 75th most widely offered degree. Given that geography and cartography is offered at 22% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that 87% of colleges offering geography and cartography are public making it a very accessible field.

 The far west produces the most geography and cartography graduates, largely led by [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), while it’s the Pacific-12 Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [California State University-Long Beach](/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach) and [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more geography and cartography graduates than [American River College](/colleges/american-river-college), which graduated 138 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study geography and cartography). More students studied geography and cartography as a percentage of total students at [Macalester College](/colleges/macalester-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Geography and cartography is the 134th most expensive degree in America, with a median cost of $35,154 amongst the top 50 programs (just ahead of #135, [Astronomy](rankings/best-colleges-for-astronomy), with a median cost of $35,140).

 New England has the most expensive schools with excellent geography and cartography programs predominantly led by [Mount Holyoke College](/colleges/mount-holyoke-college) with an annual cost of $52,040. The most expensive state for geography and cartography is District of Columbia led by [George Washington University](/colleges/george-washington-university).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 78.28% less than private schools for in-state students. When looking at out-of-state tuition however, the median top 50 Public school charges 49.37% less than your average private school. So make sure to check out public shools in your state ASAP.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [Colgate University](/colleges/colgate-university), which is the 9th most expensive college in the United States. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo). It costs just $5,790 per year, and it's ranked 42nd for its geography and cartography program. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable option, [California State University-Long Beach](/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach)  could be a good fit for you, ranked #21 with an in-state cost of just $5,742. Another more affordable choice would be #15, [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university) in Broome County, NY with a cost of $7,070 for in-state students and $24,660 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Enrolling in college is a large investment for most people. It is critical to have confidence you expand your future earning potential. We aim for the following income and job placement stats to assist you in making an intelligent decision when choosing your focus.

 Fresh out of university, Geography and Cartography majors take home $39,798 per annum on average (close to national median 45th percentile). After a little time in their professions, they can earn up to $95,110 a year to as little as $39,848, but average more or less $61,231. For context, that is 59% greater than the nation wide average.

 The most common job title for a Geography and Cartography graduate is Engineer, which by and large make approximately $59,000; next are Software Engineer and Analyst, which ordinarily make about $65,000 and $54,000 respectively.

 The highest earning region for Geography and Cartography graduates is The Rocky Mountains. CO has the highest earning Geography and Cartography graduates of any state. Colonial Athletic Association has the highest earning Geography and Cartography graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Geography and Cartography: Median Professor Rating: 3.9 / 5, which is below average.

 Professors repeatedly have a severe influence your college experience, no matter what you study. A thoughtful teacher can help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem fun. On the other hand, an unpleasant professor can disenchant you from an entire field or even worse... flunk you!

 Professors of Geography and Cartography have a median student rating of 3.9 / 5, putting them in the top 73rd percentile in America grounded in overall professor effectivness. For context a 3.9 rating is 2.5% shy of the national median professor rating for all subjects. Professors of Geography and Cartography just edged-out those from ["Earth Sciences"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-earth-sciences), whereas ["Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-professional-technical-business-and-scientific-writing)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Geography and Cartography.

 Now for some statistics about Geography and Cartography professors. Colleges located in fringe rural areas tend to have the best Geography and Cartography professors. The South Atlantic Conference has the highest rated Geography and Cartography professors. The Far West region has the highest rated Geography and Cartography professors. Public schools tend to have higher rated Geography and Cartography professors than private colleges. Finally, Wyoming has the highest rated Geography and Cartography professors in the nation.

 Jill Knapp, professor at [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo)&nbspin Provo, UT is the most popular Geography and Cartography professor in the nation. Connor Wu, professor at [Troy University](/colleges/troy-university)&nbspin Troy, AL is the highest rated Geography and Cartography professor in America, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Find out which schools have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often can be a very productive investment in one's life; it is an opportunity for individual growth and development. Undergraduates begin to figure out who they can be and build many of the underlying skills to be a flourishing member of society. But growth is not solely found in the classroom - the conversations which one has with his schoolmates, the funny story learned from an eccentric instructor, the exposure to a different vantage point. As such, finding a diverse college vastly enriches what you gain from your time in university.

 Geography and Cartography is a less ethnically diverse major than average\*. 64% of America's Geography and Cartography majors are white students, followed by students of other races\*\*(14%), latino students (13%), and asian students (6%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of Chicago](/colleges/university-of-chicago)&nbspin Chicago, IL.

 Furthermore, Geography and Cartography slightly skews male, with 42% of majors identifying as men. [Colgate University](/colleges/colgate-university) in Hamilton, NY has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another substantial type of diversity is financial diversity. Geography and Cartography ranks in the top 30% of programs for financial diversity. 28% of its students come from households with $110,000 plus annual incomes, 16% are from homes that earn between $48,000 and $75,000 a year, and 25% grew up in homes with a sub $30,000 annual income. [University of North Carolina at Charlotte](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-charlotte) is the most economically diverse school in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall HI is the most diverse state for Geography and Cartography. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the University Athletic Association is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 6%
* Black: 3%
* Latino: 13%
* White: 64%
* Other: 14%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 58%
* Female: 42%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 25%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 15%
* Over 110k: 28%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 70%
* Out of State: 25%
* International: 5%


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There are about 24,398 students enrolled in Geography and Cartography in the USA.

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There are about 24,398 students enrolled in Geography and Cartography in the USA.

PROFESSORS