by our College Data Analytics Team
[Geographic Information Science](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geographic-information-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geographic information science education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geographic information science students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geographic information science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Bemidji State University earned the #1 spot for value among geographic information science schools in Minnesota. Set in the town of Bemidji, Bemidji State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,237. Typical student debt for geographic information science graduates is $25,819. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $48,984. That is a strong return on a $25,819 median debt. The acceptance rate is 56%.
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value geographic information science schools. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Typical student debt for geographic information science graduates is $20,500. Geographic Information Science graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $38,019 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Minnesota State University Mankato earned it the #3 place for geographic information science. Set in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,572 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Geographic Information Science graduates carry a median of $25,260 in student loans. Geographic Information Science graduates of Minnesota State University Mankato earn a median of $45,482 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,260 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.