Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Geography & Cartography

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

22 Ranked Colleges
286 Degrees Awarded
$17,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 8,936 people earned their degree in geography and cartography, making the major the 107th most popular in the United States. 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 Plains States region, there were 573 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,050 and $19,376 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 286 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geography and cartography. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geography and cartography programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the geography and cartography program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geography & Cartography Schools

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 Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geography & Cartography in the Plains States Region

#1

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Park University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Park University is located in Parkville, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

Park University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Park University is $15,579 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Park University

#2

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $19,252 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at South Dakota State

#3

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bemidji State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Bemidji State University is a small school located in Bemidji, Minnesota that handed out 3 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Bemidji State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Bemidji State University

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geography degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,067 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students per year to attend UMN Duluth.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at UMN Duluth

#5

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Dakota. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students list, UND has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students per year to attend University of North Dakota.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at UND

#6

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 14 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNI is $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at University of Northern Iowa

#7

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Saint Cloud State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $14,267 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Full St. Cloud State University Geography & Cartography Report

With a ranking of #8, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $16,221 for Plains States 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%.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Minnesota State Mankato

Northwest Missouri State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwest also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $12,354 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students per year to attend Northwest Missouri State University.

Full Northwest Geography & Cartography Report

Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. Missouri State University - Springfield is a large school located in Springfield, Missouri that handed out 20 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $16,725 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Missouri State

With a ranking of #11, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,001 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Mizzou

#19 in overall quality

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geography degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNOMAHA, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska at Omaha is $14,040 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at UNOMAHA

#13

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students list, K -State has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kansas State University is $18,285 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full K -State Geography & Cartography Report

With a ranking of #14, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 13 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $17,208 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Geography & Cartography Report

#22 in overall quality

Missouri Southern State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri Southern is a medium-sized school located in Joplin, Missouri that handed out 1 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri Southern also took the #22 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern State University is $9,625 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Missouri Southern State University

#16

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 10 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

KU also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for KU is $18,918 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full KU Geography & Cartography Report

#17

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $17,740 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 & Cartography at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#18

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#18 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

UMKC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $14,643 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Geography & Cartography Report

#18

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#9 in overall quality

University of Iowa ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students list, Iowa has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Iowa is $19,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at University of Iowa

#20

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UST MN is $29,155 for plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full UST MN Geography & Cartography Report

#21

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Gustavus Adolphus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Peter, Minnesota. It awarded 8 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree geography students list, Gustavus Adolphus has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gustavus Adolphus College is $19,093 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Gustavus Adolphus College

#22

Macalester College

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Macalester did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $28,426 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Geography students per year to attend Macalester College.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Macalester

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Geography Schools

Find Schools Near You