2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Geography & Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geography & cartography education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 37 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value geography & cartography schools.
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2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography & cartography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools
For return on investment in geography & cartography, no school beat College Of Southern Idaho this year. Set in the city of Twin Falls, College Of Southern Idaho is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,360, while out-of-state students pay about $6,840. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $11,175 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from College Of Southern Idaho generally make around $39,099. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Utah Valley University one of the best values for geography & cartography. Set in the city of Orem, Utah Valley University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,507 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,489. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $16,478 in student loans. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $51,242. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Wyoming one of the best values for geography & cartography. Set in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,768, compared with $24,178 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $20,283. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from University Of Wyoming generally make around $49,890. Set against $20,283 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Weber State University one of the best values for geography & cartography. Located in the city of Ogden, Weber State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,557, while out-of-state students pay about $17,545. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $19,176. Geography & Cartography graduates of Weber State University earn a median of $53,920 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Front Range Community College one of the best values for geography & cartography. Located in the suburb of Westminster, Front Range Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,663, while out-of-state students pay about $17,263. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $20,354 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Front Range Community College generally make around $40,414. That is a strong return on a $20,354 median debt.
Utah State University came in at #6 for value in geography & cartography this year. Utah State University is a very large public school located in the city of Logan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,560, while out-of-state students pay about $24,993. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $16,191. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $65,286. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
University Of Utah came in at #7 for value in geography & cartography this year. University Of Utah is a very large public school located in the city of Salt Lake City. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,860 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,373 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $41,052. That is a strong return on a $12,373 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Idaho earned the #8 position for value in geography & cartography this year. University Of Idaho is a large public school located in the town of Moscow. Students from in state pay about $9,084 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,320. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Geography & Cartography graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of $43,246 early in their careers. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Idaho admits about 76% of applicants.
Brigham Young University Provo ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value geography & cartography schools. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,688. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $10,360 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $40,051. Set against $10,360 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Central Wyoming College placed #10 among the best values for geography & cartography. Located in the town of Riverton, Central Wyoming College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800, with out-of-state students paying around $11,100. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $12,820 in student loans. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $65,164. Set against $12,820 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs landed the #11 spot for geography & cartography value this year. Located in the city of Colorado Springs, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,906, compared with $25,039 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $17,500. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs generally make around $36,426. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
The University Of Montana earned the #12 position for value in geography & cartography this year. The University Of Montana is a large public school located in the city of Missoula. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,552, while out-of-state students pay about $33,671. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $24,342. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $42,654. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Fort Lewis College landed the #13 spot for geography & cartography value this year. Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Durango. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,958, compared with $21,526 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $18,888. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $30,676. Set against $18,888 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Denver ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value geography & cartography schools. University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,383, while out-of-state students pay about $29,391. Students borrow a median of $22,468 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $39,104. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Denver placed #15 among the best values for geography & cartography. University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. In-state tuition and fees average $61,398. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $22,534. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from University Of Denver generally make around $58,717. Set against $22,534 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Denver admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 37 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.
