2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geography & cartography degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools
For return on investment in geography & cartography, no school beat Western Illinois University this year. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Students borrow a median of $27,639 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Geography & Cartography graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median of $47,926 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,639 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Students looking for strong value in geography & cartography will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $25,209 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $52,308. That is a strong return on a $25,209 median debt. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in geography & cartography will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Geography & Cartography graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $42,214 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Illinois State University earned it the #4 place for geography & cartography. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Geography & Cartography graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $34,952 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Depaul University one of the best values for geography & cartography. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,405 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $23,412. Geography & Cartography graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $47,464 early in their careers. Set against $23,412 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
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 · 22 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.
[Geography & Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geography & cartography education at a price that pays off.
