2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Michigan
[Geography & Cartography](/majors/social-sciences/geography-and-cartography/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 18 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value geography & cartography schools.
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2026 Best Value Geography & Cartography Schools in Michigan
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 Grand Valley State University this year. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,502, compared with $21,894 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,875 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $36,367. Set against $21,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in geography & cartography will find it at Michigan State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Early-career geography & cartography graduates make about $54,166. That is a strong return on a $25,213 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Calvin College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geography & cartography, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Grand Rapids, Calvin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,350. Students borrow a median of $22,707 to complete the geography & cartography program here. Geography & Cartography graduates of Calvin College earn a median of $44,220 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,707 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
More Geography & Cartography Rankings
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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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
