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2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

22 Ranked Colleges
1,091 Degrees Awarded
$10,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 8,936 people earned their degree in geography and cartography, making the major the 107th most popular in the United States. 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 the Southwest region, there were 1,091 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,720 and $23,727 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 22 colleges that offer a degree 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the geography and cartography program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geography & Cartography Schools

The geography school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Geography & Cartography (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Central New Mexico Community College

Albuquerque, New Mexico

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central New Mexico Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Central New Mexico Community College is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.

CNM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Central New Mexico Community College is $2,604 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at CNM

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Texas. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of North Texas is a large school located in Denton, Texas that handed out 68 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Texas is $8,521 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at UNT

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school handed out 100 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $11,454 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas A&M University - College Station.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Texas A&M College Station

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #4 spot on the list. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 119 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Tempe is $7,044 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Arizona State University - Tempe

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. The University of Texas at San Antonio is located in San Antonio, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.

UTSA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UTSA is $10,516 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at The University of Texas at San Antonio

With a ranking of #6, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 70 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Austin has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UT Austin is $12,203 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Geography & Cartography Report

#7

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 25 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texas Tech, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,317 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas Tech.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Texas Tech

#8

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 93 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,562 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Arizona.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at University of Arizona

#9

East Central University

Ada, Oklahoma

East Central University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. East Central University is a small public school situated in Ada, Oklahoma. It awarded 6 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, ECU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $7,787 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend East Central University.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at ECU

The University of Texas at Dallas came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Richardson, Texas, this large public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2019-2020.

UT Dallas did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,857 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Texas at Dallas.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 The University of Texas at Dallas

#11

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas State is $11,125 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Texas State

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, this large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2019-2020.

OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for OSU is $8,669 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at OSU

#12

Arizona State University - Skysong

Scottsdale, Arizona

Arizona State University - Skysong did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Arizona State University - Skysong is a public institution located in Scottsdale, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 111 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, ASU - Skysong has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Skysong is $12,037 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at ASU - Skysong

University of Houston - Clear Lake ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 2 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UH Clear Lake also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $4,517 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UH Clear Lake.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at UH Clear Lake

Stephen F Austin State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SFASU is located in Nacogdoches, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.

SFASU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SFASU is $8,650 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at SFASU

#15

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Northern Arizona University is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 27 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, NAU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NAU is $9,251 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Northern Arizona University

#16

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, Texas

Sam Houston State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Sam Houston State University is a large school located in Huntsville, Texas that handed out 39 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, SHSU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SHSU is $10,561 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Sam Houston State University

With a ranking of #17, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, this fairly large public school handed out 15 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2019-2020.

NMSU Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NMSU Main Campus is $6,896 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full New Mexico State University - Main Campus Geography & Cartography Report

With a ranking of #18, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Norman, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma also took the #8 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma is $16,675 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

University of Central Oklahoma came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UCO is located in Edmond, Oklahoma and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.

UCO did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $12,297 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCO.

Full University of Central Oklahoma Geography & Cartography Report

#20

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

University of New Mexico - Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 29 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UNM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of New Mexico - Main Campus is $13,242 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at UNM

#21

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas

Tarleton State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tarleton is a fairly large public school situated in Stephenville, Texas. It awarded 8 ’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Tarleton also took the #19 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $15,604 for Southwest Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tarleton State University.

Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Tarleton State University

#22

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, Texas

Texas Christian University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. TCU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Worth, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

TCU also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for TCU is $21,286 for southwest region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Geography & Cartography at Texas Christian 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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