2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geography & Cartography in the Great Lakes Region
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Geography & Cartography is the 107th most popular major in the country with 8,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, geography and cartography graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,126 and had an average of $23,577 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,189 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,150 and $24,739 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 688 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 49 colleges that offered a degree in geography and cartography. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geography and cartography programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geography and cartography program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geography & Cartography in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - River Falls also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
UW - La Crosse also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at UW - La Crosse
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 32 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students list, SIUE has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Geography & Cartography Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students list, UW - Whitewater has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at UW - Whitewater
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.
UW - Platteville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Platteville is $15,718 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 32 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,020 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Oshkosh did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend UW Oshkosh.
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 6 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stevens Point did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,465 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Geography & Cartography Report
Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,895 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Northern Illinois University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geography degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,259 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
With a ranking of #11, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend Grand Valley State University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Grand Valley State University
With a ranking of #12, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geography degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,607 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend WIU is $16,210 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
With a ranking of #14, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend WMU is $19,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this small public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $11,327 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at UW - Parkside
With a ranking of #16, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend Eastern Michigan.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Eastern Michigan University
With a ranking of #17, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $11,947 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at Youngstown State University
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 16 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UWM is $17,876 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
With a ranking of #19, Indiana University - Southeast did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in New Albany, Indiana, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Southeast is $10,657 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at Indiana University - Southeast
Northeastern Illinois University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,843 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at Northeastern Illinois University
Central Michigan University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $15,981 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Wright State University - Main Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $16,823 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend Wright State University - Main Campus.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Wright State University - Main Campus
Kent State University at Kent landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $18,885 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students per year to attend Kent State.
With a ranking of #24, Indiana State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Indiana State is $13,896 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for BGSU is $18,394 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geography students.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Couleur.
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