by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 4,954 people earned their degree in geography, making the major the 159th most popular in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 414 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major” ranking analyzed 115 colleges that offered a degree in geography. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their geography program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The geography school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree geography students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Chicago State University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major. CSU is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 3 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Out of the 115 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Clark University landed the #2 spot on the list. Clark University is a small school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 6 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Out of the 115 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Marshall University landed the #3 spot on the list. Marshall University is a public institution located in Huntington, West Virginia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central Connecticut State University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major. This medium-sized school is located in New Britain, Connecticut, and it awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Hawaii at Manoa. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. University of Hawaii at Manoa is located in Honolulu, Hawaii and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #6, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Full New Mexico State University - Main Campus Geography Report
With a ranking of #7, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #8, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. Appalachian State is a large school located in Boone, North Carolina that handed out 10 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at Appalachian State University
South Dakota State University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
University of Maryland - Baltimore County came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at University of Maryland - Baltimore County
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking, coming in at #11. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large school located in Norman, Oklahoma that handed out 11 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read full report on Geography at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking. UNC Greensboro is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
West Virginia University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, and it awarded 9 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Western Michigan University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Geography at Western Michigan University
With a ranking of #15, University at Albany did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. UAlbany is a fairly large public school situated in Albany, New York. It awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Salisbury University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking. Salisbury is a public institution located in Salisbury, Maryland. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
The University of Montana did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Missoula, Montana, this fairly large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s geography students in 2020-2021.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking, coming in at #18. West Chester, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full West Chester University of Pennsylvania Geography Report
With a ranking of #19, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. UND is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #20, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Towson University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking, coming in at #21. Towson is a large school located in Towson, Maryland that handed out 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution located in Amherst, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Nevada - Reno ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. University of Nevada - Reno is a large public school situated in Reno, Nevada. It awarded 6 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at University of Nevada - Reno
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major ranking. Mankato, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Geography at Minnesota State University - Mankato
With a ranking of #25, University of Oregon did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Geography Major list. Located in Eugene, Oregon, this large public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s geography students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
