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# Best Geography Programs in California (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks the 12 Geography programs in California by the median earnings of Geography graduates four years after completing. [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) leads the list at $75,234, followed by [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) at $69,500 and [California State University-Northridge](/school/california-state-university-northridge/majors/) at $69,323.

The median across the listed schools is $60,797, with figures ranging from $75,234 to $23,693.

All 12 institutions are 12 public universities. California State University-Los Angeles ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the page.

California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price at $3,967, while California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt reports the highest admission rate at 98%.

## The ranked list

12 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $75,234 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
|  | [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting [$75,234 in median earnings](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $69,500 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 93%](/school/california-state-university-chico/admissions/), [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) posts median earnings of $69,500 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $69,323 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
|  | [California State University-Northridge](/school/california-state-university-northridge/majors/) reports an [average net price of $7,021](/school/california-state-university-northridge/cost/) and median earnings of $69,323 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $67,521 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) [admits 33% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/admissions/) and its Geography graduates earned a median of $67,521 four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $67,193 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | Ranking 22nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) reports [median earnings of $67,193](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $63,590 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
|  | [San Francisco State University](/school/san-francisco-state-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $16,359](/school/san-francisco-state-university/cost/) among Geography completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $63,590 four years after completing. |
| 7 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $58,004 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | Graduates of [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/)'s Geography program earned a [median of $58,004](/school/san-diego-state-university/outcomes/) four years after completing, and the school posts an average net price of $15,364. |
| 8 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $57,424 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $13,000](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) among Geography completers who borrowed, and its graduates earned a median of $57,424 four years after completing. |
| 9 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $48,979 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
|  | An [average net price of $6,555](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $48,979 for [California State University-Fullerton](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/)'s Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $48,715 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) [admits 46% of applicants](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/admissions/) and reports median federal debt of $18,000 among Geography completers who borrowed. |
| 11 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $33,993 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
|  | Posting an [average net price of $3,967,](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/cost/) the lowest on the page, [California State University-Los Angeles](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/majors/) reports median earnings of $33,993 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 12 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $23,693 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 98%](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/admissions/), [California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/majors/) ranks 12th on this list and reports median earnings of $23,693 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Geography graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished. For 2 of the 12 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between California State University-Sacramento and California State University-Chico is $5,734, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $51,541.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Geography Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-geography-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Best Geography Programs in Wisconsin](/rankings/best-geography-programs-in-wisconsin/)
-   Geography Programs in Colorado
-   Geography Programs in Illinois
-   Geography Programs in Michigan