[Geographic Information Science](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geographic-information-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geographic information science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for geographic information science students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geographic information science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Grand Valley State University earned the #1 spot for value among geographic information science schools in Michigan. Grand Valley State University is a very large public school located in the town of Allendale. Students from in state pay about $15,502 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,894 for out-of-state students. Geographic Information Science graduates carry a median of $21,875 in student loans. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $36,367. That is a strong return on a $21,875 median debt. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Michigan State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value geographic information science schools. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Geographic Information Science graduates carry a median of $25,213 in student loans. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $54,166. Set against $25,213 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Calvin College earned it the #3 place for geographic information science. Calvin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Grand Rapids. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,350. Geographic Information Science graduates carry a median of $22,707 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geographic information science degree recipients from Calvin College generally make around $44,220. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
More Geographic Information Science Rankings
View All Geographic Information Science Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
