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# Best Geography Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-social-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)

Regional list from [Best Geography Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-geography-programs/)

This page ranks the 37 Geography programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Geography graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $75,877 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed schools, the median figure is $53,992, with a spread of $47,858 from a high of $75,877 to a low of $28,019. For 12 of the 37 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 33 of the 37 programs, or 89%, alongside 4 private nonprofits. Indiana University-Southeast posts the lowest average net price on the page at $7,888.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 35th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

37 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville · Edwardsville, IL | $75,877 | $14,889 | $8,483 | 97.5% |
|  | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/majors/) ranks 1st on this list with [median earnings of $75,877](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, and it reports an admission rate of 98%. |
| 2 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $69,383 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
|  | [Illinois State University](/school/illinois-state-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $69,383](/school/illinois-state-university/outcomes/) four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $19,398. |
| 3 | Park University · Parkville, MO | $65,890 | $21,032 | $18,687 | Not reported |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Parkville, Park University reports median federal debt of $21,685 across all of its borrowers who completed, and its Geography graduates earn a median of $65,890 four years after completing. |
| 4 | Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI | $62,999 | $17,597 | $12,185 | 89.8% |
|  | [Central Michigan University](/school/central-michigan-university/majors/) ranks 4th on this list, and its Geography completers who borrowed left with a [median of $26,250](/school/central-michigan-university/outcomes/) in federal loans. |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI | $62,589 | $14,158 | $8,440 | 85.7% |
|  | With [median earnings of $62,589](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/outcomes/) four years after completing, [University of Wisconsin-Whitewater](/school/university-of-wisconsin-whitewater/majors/) reports an average net price of $8,440 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 6 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $62,504 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
|  | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/) [admits 42% of applicants](/school/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/admissions/) and ranks 35th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 7 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $61,831 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 83.0% |
|  | [Grand Valley State University](/school/grand-valley-state-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $61,831](/school/grand-valley-state-university/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 8 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $60,363 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
|  | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) ranks 8th on this list, and its Geography graduates earn a [median of $60,363](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 9 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $59,578 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
|  | An [average net price of $22,531](/school/university-of-iowa/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $59,578 four years after completing for [University of Iowa](/school/university-of-iowa/majors/). |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $59,424 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 45.2% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Madison](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $18,689](/school/university-of-wisconsin-madison/cost/) among Geography completers who borrowed, and its graduates earn a median of $59,424 four years after completing. |
| 11 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $58,569 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% |
|  | For families earning under $30,000, [University of Minnesota-Duluth](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/majors/) reports an [average net price of $7,256,](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/cost/) while its Geography graduates earn a median of $58,569 four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire · Eau Claire, WI | $58,129 | $16,550 | $10,270 | 82.3% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/majors/) ranks 12th on this list, with [median earnings of $58,129](/school/university-of-wisconsin-eau-claire/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI | $57,604 | $15,014 | $10,329 | 90.7% |
|  | Ranks 13th on this list, [University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee](/school/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,604](/school/university-of-wisconsin-milwaukee/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 14 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $56,515 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a [median of $23,250](/school/michigan-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans at [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/), which ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | Ohio University-Main Campus · Athens, OH | $56,381 | $21,637 | $15,673 | 85.0% |
|  | [Ohio University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 85% of applicants](/school/ohio-university-main-campus/admissions/) and posts median earnings of $56,381 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $56,191 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
|  | [University of Missouri-Columbia](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/) shows an [average net price of $13,841](/school/university-of-missouri-columbia/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $56,191 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $56,022 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
|  | [Minnesota State University-Mankato](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/majors/) ranks 17th on this list and reports a school-wide [median federal debt of $21,106](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/cost/) across all of its borrowers who completed. |
| 18 | Northwest Missouri State University · Maryville, MO | $55,656 | $16,244 | $13,176 | 86.1% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 86%](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/admissions/), [Northwest Missouri State University](/school/northwest-missouri-state-university/majors/) reports median earnings of $55,656 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 19 | Ball State University · Muncie, IN | $53,992 | $14,940 | $7,834 | 85.5% |
|  | [Ball State University](/school/ball-state-university/majors/) shows [median federal debt of $24,750](/school/ball-state-university/cost/) among Geography completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $53,992. |
| 20 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $53,666 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% |
|  | [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) reports an [average net price of $6,642](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 21 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $53,656 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
|  | [Kent State University at Kent](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/) ranks 21st on this list, with [median earnings of $53,656](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 22 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $53,455 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 79.6% |
|  | [Eastern Michigan University](/school/eastern-michigan-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $15,001](/school/eastern-michigan-university/cost/) among Geography completers who borrowed, alongside an admission rate of 80%. |
| 23 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $49,921 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 84.6% |
|  | [Western Michigan University](/school/western-michigan-university/majors/) shows an [average net price of $5,263](/school/western-michigan-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, and its Geography graduates earn a median of $49,921 four years after completing. |
| 24 | Augustana College · Rock Island, IL | $49,763 | $22,736 | $15,787 | 62.7% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Rock Island, [Augustana College](/school/augustana-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $49,763](/school/augustana-college/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | Northern Illinois University · Dekalb, IL | $47,738 | $13,391 | $10,126 | 69.8% |
|  | [Northern Illinois University](/school/northern-illinois-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $47,738](/school/northern-illinois-university/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, with 13 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 26 | Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS | $42,682 | $19,406 | $13,178 | 81.7% |
|  | [Kansas State University](/school/kansas-state-university/majors/) [admits 82% of applicants](/school/kansas-state-university/admissions/) and shows an average net price of $19,406. |
| 27 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $42,682 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
|  | [Miami University-Oxford](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/) [ranks 626th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/miami-university-oxford/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Geography graduates earned a median of $42,682 four years after completing. |
| 28 | Gustavus Adolphus College · Saint Peter, MN | $38,289 | $22,900 | $12,015 | 61.0% |
|  | A private nonprofit institution in Saint Peter, [Gustavus Adolphus College](/school/gustavus-adolphus-college/majors/) has an [average net price of $12,015](/school/gustavus-adolphus-college/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 29 | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse · La Crosse, WI | $36,488 | $16,210 | $8,224 | 75.5% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-La Crosse](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/majors/) ranks 29th on this list and reports [median earnings of $36,488](/school/university-of-wisconsin-la-crosse/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 30 | Indiana University-Indianapolis · Indianapolis, IN | $35,420 | $11,668 | $5,701 | 76.4% |
|  | [Indiana University-Indianapolis](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/majors/) posts an [average net price of $11,668](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/cost/) and ranks 139th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 31 | Carthage College · Kenosha, WI | $33,459 | $26,565 | $23,293 | 87.1% |
|  | [Carthage College](/school/carthage-college/majors/) reports [median earnings of $33,459](/school/carthage-college/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 87%. |
| 32 | Eastern Illinois University · Charleston, IL | $33,281 | $12,786 | $9,828 | 65.4% |
|  | [Eastern Illinois University](/school/eastern-illinois-university/majors/) has an [average net price of $9,828](/school/eastern-illinois-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and a cohort of 6 graduates in the earnings data. |
| 33 | Missouri State University-Springfield · Springfield, MO | $32,925 | $17,613 | $13,718 | 90.5% |
|  | [Missouri State University-Springfield](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/majors/) [admits 91% of applicants](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/admissions/) and its Geography graduates earned a median of $32,925 four years after completing. |
| 34 | Indiana University-Southeast · New Albany, IN | $32,569 | $7,888 | $3,782 | 84.5% |
|  | [Indiana University-Southeast](/school/indiana-university-southeast/majors/) [ranks 569th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/indiana-university-southeast/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $7,888. |
| 35 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville · Platteville, WI | $29,685 | $16,032 | $9,009 | 89.4% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Platteville](/school/university-of-wisconsin-platteville/majors/) reports [median earnings of $29,685](/school/university-of-wisconsin-platteville/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, with 5 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 36 | Youngstown State University · Youngstown, OH | $28,598 | $12,767 | $9,328 | 84.5% |
|  | [Youngstown State University](/school/youngstown-state-university/majors/) has an [average net price of $9,328](/school/youngstown-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and an admission rate of 84%. |
| 37 | Indiana University-Bloomington · Bloomington, IN | $28,019 | $16,264 | $6,324 | 78.2% |
|  | [Indiana University-Bloomington](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/majors/) ranks 37th on this list, reporting [median earnings of $28,019](/school/indiana-university-bloomington/outcomes/) 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 the Midwest appear. The figure is the median earnings for federally aided completers of Geography programs who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 12 of the 37 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. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville leads Illinois State University by $6,494.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Geography Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-geography-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Geography Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-geography-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Top Geography Programs in the South by Earnings](/rankings/best-geography-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Geography Programs in the West](/rankings/best-geography-programs-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-social-sciences-colleges-in-the-midwest/)