[Geographic Information Science](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/geographic-information-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geographic information science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for geographic information science students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in geographic information science, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Maryland College Park tops our 2026 list of the best value geographic information science schools in Maryland. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,441 to complete the geographic information science program here. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $40,913. Set against $24,441 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Students looking for strong value in geographic information science will find it at Johns Hopkins University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,730. Students borrow a median of $13,426 to complete the geographic information science program here. Early-career geographic information science graduates make about $75,503. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geographic information science, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, while out-of-state students pay about $31,225. Students borrow a median of $21,331 to complete the geographic information science program here. Soon after graduation, geographic information science degree recipients from University Of Maryland Baltimore County generally make around $49,179. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland Baltimore County admits about 72% of applicants.
More Geographic Information Science Rankings
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
