2026 Best Value Geography Schools in New York
[Geography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 20 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geography students.
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2026 Best Value Geography Schools in New York
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography Schools
For return on investment in geography, no school beat University At Buffalo this year. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,936, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. Students borrow a median of $24,255 to complete the geography program here. Geography graduates of University At Buffalo earn a median of $29,390 early in their careers. Set against $24,255 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University At Buffalo admits about 74% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Suny At Binghamton earned it the #2 place for geography. Suny At Binghamton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Vestal. In-state tuition and fees average $10,567, compared with $30,447 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,596 to complete the geography program here. Geography graduates of Suny At Binghamton earn a median of $51,766 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,596 median debt. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Colgate University one of the best values for geography. Colgate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Hamilton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,306. Geography graduates carry a median of $16,286 in student loans. Geography graduates of Colgate University earn a median of $52,924 early in their careers. Set against $16,286 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
Syracuse University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geography, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $65,528 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the geography program here. Geography graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
