[Geographic Information Science](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geographic-information-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for geographic information science students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geographic information science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Harper College tops our 2027 list of the best value geographic information science schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,894, compared with $11,874 for out-of-state students. Geographic Information Science graduates carry a median of $10,963 in student loans. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $44,523. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Western Illinois University one of the best values for geographic information science. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Students borrow a median of $27,639 to complete the geographic information science program here. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $47,926. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geographic information science, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the geographic information science program here. Soon after graduation, geographic information science degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $42,214. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Depaul University one of the best values for geographic information science. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $45,405 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for geographic information science graduates is $23,412. Geographic Information Science graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $47,464 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,412 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
