2027 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Pennsylvania

[Geography & Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for geography & cartography students.
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2027 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography & cartography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools
Our analysis ranked Pennsylvania State University World Campus the best value for a degree in geography & cartography in Pennsylvania. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University World Campus is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,356. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $26,062. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University World Campus generally make around $73,575. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #2 place for geography & cartography. Set in the town of Kutztown, Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,206, compared with $16,330 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $26,867. Geography & Cartography graduates of Kutztown University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $39,028 early in their careers. Set against $26,867 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 91%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Shippensburg University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #3 place for geography & cartography. Set in the town of Shippensburg, Shippensburg University Of Pennsylvania is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,570, compared with $15,824 for out-of-state students. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $22,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Shippensburg University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $38,439. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
A rank of #4 makes Temple University one of the best values for geography & cartography. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from in state pay about $23,005 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,805. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $26,259 in student loans. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $48,154. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Pennsylvania earned it the #5 place for geography & cartography. Located in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,686. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $16,155. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from University Of Pennsylvania generally make around $99,682. Set against $16,155 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 5%.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus placed #6 among the best values for geography & cartography. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $40,962. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus landed the #7 spot for geography & cartography value this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, while out-of-state students pay about $41,790. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $23,396. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Pennsylvania State University Main Campus generally make around $67,164. That is a strong return on a $23,396 median debt. The acceptance rate is 61%.
More Geography & Cartography Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.