by our College Data Analytics Team
[Geography And Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a geography and cartography degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find where geography and cartography graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose geography and cartography graduates go on to earn the most.
Northern Illinois University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid geography and cartography graduates in Illinois. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a public institution. After graduating, geography and cartography degree recipients from Northern Illinois University typically earn about $59,972 annually.
A rank of #2 makes Depaul University one of the highest-paying schools for geography and cartography. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career geography and cartography graduates from Depaul University make a median of around $47,464 per year.
Eastern Illinois University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying geography and cartography schools. Set in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a public institution. Geography And Cartography graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of about $42,564 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in geography and cartography will find them at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. Early-career geography and cartography graduates from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign make a median of around $42,214 per year.
Augustana College Illinois came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying geography and cartography schools. Located in the city of Rock Island, Augustana College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the geography and cartography program here go on to a median salary of roughly $40,683.
Illinois State University earned the #6 position for geography and cartography graduate earnings this year. Illinois State University is a public school located in the suburb of Normal. Students who complete the geography and cartography program here go on to a median salary of roughly $34,952.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their geography and cartography graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.