2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Missouri
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geography & cartography students.
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2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geography & cartography, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools
Northwest Missouri State University tops our 2026 list of the best value geography & cartography schools in Missouri. Northwest Missouri State University is a large public school located in the town of Maryville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,611, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Geography & Cartography graduates carry a median of $23,585 in student loans. Geography & Cartography graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn a median of $42,939 early in their careers. Set against $23,585 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Park University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geography & cartography, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Parkville, Park University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $12,116 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $22,112. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $58,786. That is a strong return on a $22,112 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Missouri State University Springfield one of the best values for geography & cartography. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geography & cartography graduates is $25,300. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $46,503. That is a strong return on a $25,300 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri Columbia earned it the #4 place for geography & cartography. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Soon after graduation, geography & cartography degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $38,726. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
