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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Geography Schools in North Carolina

5 Colleges in the United States
209 Geography Degrees Awarded
$41,521 Avg Early-Career Salary

Geography degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their geography programs.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools to find the best for geography students.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Geography in North Carolina

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the geography degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Geography

1

Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill the best school in the country for a degree in geography. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. About 91% of students finish within six years. About 29 geography degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent year. Geography graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $42,454 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in geography from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill

2

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best geography schools. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 42 geography students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte in the most recent data year. Geography graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $42,210 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,954. Get the full geography details for University Of North Carolina At Charlotte

3

Students looking for a strong geography program will find one at Appalachian State University, which ranked #3. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 74%. Appalachian State University awarded about 75 geography degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their geography degree from Appalachian State University earn around $41,648 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,750. Read more about the geography program at Appalachian State University

4

University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in geography, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a large public institution. Roughly 56% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 13 geography students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Greensboro in the most recent data year. Geography graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $25,975 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $22,851 to complete this degree. Read more about the geography program at University Of North Carolina At Greensboro

5

North Carolina State University At Raleigh is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in geography, ranking #5. Set in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public institution. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. North Carolina State University At Raleigh awarded about 50 geography degrees in the most recent data year. Geography graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $55,320 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $20,868. Read more about the geography program at North Carolina State University At Raleigh

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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