2026 Best Value Geography Schools in Virginia
[Geography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geography/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for geography students.
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2026 Best Value Geography Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography Schools
George Mason University earned the #1 spot for value among geography schools in Virginia. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the geography program here. Early-career geography graduates make about $49,568. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Mary Washington one of the best values for geography. Located in the suburb of Fredericksburg, University Of Mary Washington is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,905, while out-of-state students pay about $28,083. Geography graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Geography graduates of University Of Mary Washington earn a median of $43,243 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. University Of Mary Washington admits about 80% of applicants.
James Madison University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value geography schools. James Madison University is a very large public school located in the city of Harrisonburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,966, with out-of-state students paying around $31,312. Typical student debt for geography graduates is $19,800. Geography graduates of James Madison University earn a median of $45,094 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,800 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geography, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the geography program here. Soon after graduation, geography degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $39,328. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
