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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geography & Cartography (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

12 Ranked Colleges
168 Degrees Awarded
$12,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Geography & Cartography is the 107th most popular major in the country with 8,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Illinois, there were 242 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,000 and $19,500 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 168 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 12 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geography and cartography program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Geography & Cartography Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 12 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geography & Cartography (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,712 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Full UChicago Geography & Cartography Report

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $1,866 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Northwestern

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $5,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 32 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $8,055 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUE.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Geography & Cartography Report

#5

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s geography degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,470 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State University.

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%.

Full Illinois State University Geography & Cartography Report

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $15,281 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NIU.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Northern Illinois University

#7

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $12,350 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full EIU Geography & Cartography Report

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Western Illinois University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $13,942 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at WIU

#9

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Augustana College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Augustana College is a small school located in Rock Island, Illinois that handed out 17 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, Augustana has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana College is $20,355 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Augustana College Geography & Cartography Report

#10

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geography students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $16,903 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Elmhurst

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,816 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Geography & Cartography Report

#12

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePaul is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 14 bachelors’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend DePaul University is $26,173 for illinois bachelor’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 DePaul University

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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.

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