2027 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Kentucky

[Geography & Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for geography & cartography students.
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2027 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography & cartography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools
For return on investment in geography & cartography, no school beat Murray State University this year. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,900 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,836. Students borrow a median of $23,420 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Geography & Cartography graduates of Murray State University earn a median of $48,423 early in their careers. Set against $23,420 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in geography & cartography will find it at Western Kentucky University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,652 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,000. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $24,499 in student loans. Geography & Cartography graduates of Western Kentucky University earn a median of $44,778 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,499 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Eastern Kentucky University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value geography & cartography schools. Set in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,320, with out-of-state students paying around $21,230. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $25,122 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Eastern Kentucky University generally make around $43,891. That is a strong return on a $25,122 median debt. Eastern Kentucky University admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of Louisville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geography & cartography, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,136 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,482. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $21,910. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $37,844. Set against $21,910 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.