2023 Best Value Colleges for Geography & Cartography in California (With Aid)
24
Ranked Colleges
1,251
Degrees Awarded
$12,900
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking.
Geography & Cartography is the 110th most popular major in the country with 8,526 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, geography and cartography graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $38,604 and had an average of $22,522 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 1,251 geography and cartography graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,079 and $14,221 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in geography and cartography. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geography and cartography programs, but they also 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.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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 California For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for california geography students with aid.
Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Geography & Cartography in California (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 155 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,023 for California Geography students with aid per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 81 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $10,054 for california geography students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at CSULB
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $3,302 for California Geography students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Cal State LA
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #4 spot on the list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 45 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,523 for california geography students with aid per year to attend CSUN.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 more about Geography & Cartography at CSUN
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,252 for California Geography students with aid per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full UCSB Geography & Cartography Report
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geography students with aid list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $8,003 for california geography students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at California State University - Fullerton
American River College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 20 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geography students with aid list, American River has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend American River is $5,561 for california geography students with aid.
Full American River Geography & Cartography Report
California State University - Sacramento landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
Sac State also took the #11 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $11,178 for california geography students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Sac State Geography & Cartography Report
University of California - Davis ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geography students with aid list, UC Davis has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $15,768 for california geography students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Davis Geography & Cartography Report
California State University - Fresno came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
Fresno State also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $6,230 for california geography students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Fresno State Geography & Cartography Report
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Stanislaus is a public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Stan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $6,566 for California Geography students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at California State University - Stanislaus
California State University - East Bay landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
Cal State East Bay also made our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $13,298 for California Geography students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Cal State East Bay
With a ranking of #13, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. CSUDH is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
CSUDH not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Dominguez Hills is $4,026 for california geography students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at California State University - Dominguez Hills
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california geography students with aid list, SDSU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $13,845 for california geography students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full San Diego State University Geography & Cartography Report
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 5 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california geography students with aid list, CSUSB has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $8,107 for california geography students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at California State University - San Bernardino
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 43 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SFSU, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $14,459 for california geography students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at San Francisco State University
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $14,304 for California Geography students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.
Read full report on Geography & Cartography at Cal Poly Pomona
With a ranking of #18, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Chico State is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
Chico State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $16,218 for California Geography students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Chico State
With a ranking of #19, Sonoma State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.
SSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SSU is $17,563 for california geography students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 Sonoma State University
With a ranking of #20, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $16,542 for california geography students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 more about Geography & Cartography at San Jose State
With a ranking of #21, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Arcata, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.
Humboldt State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $14,956 for california geography students with aid.
Full Humboldt State University Geography & Cartography Report
East Los Angeles College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Los Angeles College is located in Monterey Park, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at East Los Angeles College, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for East Los Angeles College is $11,028 for California Geography students with aid.
Read more about Geography & Cartography at East Los Angeles College
University of Southern California ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 63 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $32,569 for california geography students with aid per year to attend USC.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Southern California Geography & Cartography Report
University of Redlands landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Geography & Cartography Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $26,098 for california geography students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Redlands Geography & Cartography Report
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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
- *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.
