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# Best Geography Programs in the West (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

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

This page ranks the 32 Geography programs in the West by median earnings of Geography graduates four years after completing, highest first. [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $75,234 four years after completing, while the figure for [University of Nevada-Reno](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/majors/) is $74,864, a gap of just $370.

Across the listed programs, median earnings range from $75,234 to $23,693, with a median of $57,354. For 8 of the 32 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 97% of the list, with 31 schools alongside a single private nonprofit. California State University-Los Angeles ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. The lowest average net price belongs to the same school, at $3,967.

## The ranked list

32 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/) of Geography graduates four years after completing from a cohort of 36 graduates. |
| 2 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $74,864 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [University of Nevada-Reno](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/majors/) left with a [median of $18,922](/school/university-of-nevada-reno/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Geography completers earned $74,864 four years after completing. |
| 3 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $69,500 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
|  | [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) [admits 93% of applicants](/school/california-state-university-chico/admissions/) and posts $69,500 in median earnings for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $69,323 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
|  | With an [average net price of $7,021,](/school/california-state-university-northridge/cost/) [California State University-Northridge](/school/california-state-university-northridge/majors/) ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 5 | 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/) reports [$67,521 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) of Geography graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,231 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 6 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $67,336 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
|  | An [average net price of $11,938](/school/university-of-new-mexico-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $67,336 for Geography graduates at [University of New Mexico-Main Campus](/school/university-of-new-mexico-main-campus/majors/) four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $67,193 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) [admits 9% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/) and its Geography graduates earned a median of $67,193 four years after completing. |
| 8 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $66,429 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
|  | The median federal debt across all of [Metropolitan State University of Denver](/school/metropolitan-state-university-of-denver/majors/)'s borrowers who completed is $21,500, and the school's Geography completers earned $66,429 four years after completing. |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $65,759 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
|  | [Arizona State University Campus Immersion](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/majors/) reports [$65,759 in median earnings](/school/arizona-state-university-campus-immersion/outcomes/) of Geography graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $9,070 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 10 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $64,950 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
|  | [University of Washington-Seattle Campus](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/majors/) ranks 10th on this list, with a cohort of 189 Geography graduates earning a [median of $64,950](/school/university-of-washington-seattle-campus/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 11 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $64,875 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 67.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Provo, [Brigham Young University](/school/brigham-young-university/majors/) reports [$64,875 in median earnings](/school/brigham-young-university/outcomes/) of Geography graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,564. |
| 12 | 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/) [admits 96% of applicants](/school/san-francisco-state-university/admissions/), and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $15,371 in federal loans. |
| 13 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $62,369 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
|  | University of Northern Colorado reports median earnings of $62,369 for its Geography graduates four years after completing, with 12 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $58,004 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) [admits 36% of applicants](/school/san-diego-state-university/admissions/) and ranks 36th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 15 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $57,677 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [University of Colorado Boulder](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/majors/) with a [median of $19,500](/school/university-of-colorado-boulder/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's average net price is $25,346. |
| 16 | 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/) ranks 16th on this list and posts an [average net price of $7,851](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 17 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $57,285 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
|  | [University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus](/school/university-of-colorado-denveranschutz-medical-campus/majors/) reports [median earnings of $57,285](/school/university-of-colorado-denveranschutz-medical-campus/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 75%. |
| 18 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $56,165 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
|  | An [average net price of $22,182](/school/university-of-oregon/cost/) and an Azimuth composite rank of 384th among nonprofit four-year institutions are reported by [University of Oregon](/school/university-of-oregon/majors/). |
| 19 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $54,757 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
|  | [University of Utah](/school/university-of-utah/majors/) reports [median earnings of $54,757](/school/university-of-utah/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, drawn from a cohort of 23 graduates. |
| 20 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $54,310 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
|  | [Portland State University](/school/portland-state-university/majors/) [admits 91% of applicants](/school/portland-state-university/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $7,655 for families earning under $30,000. |
| 21 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $53,081 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left [Central Washington University](/school/central-washington-university/majors/) with a [median of $19,500](/school/central-washington-university/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's admission rate is 91%. |
| 22 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $48,979 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
|  | [California State University-Fullerton](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/) [ranks 6th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $48,979 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 23 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO | $48,892 | $15,788 | $12,065 | 97.4% |
|  | [University of Colorado Colorado Springs](/school/university-of-colorado-colorado-springs/majors/) shows an [average net price of $15,788](/school/university-of-colorado-colorado-springs/cost/) and reports 46 graduates in the earnings cohort for its Geography program. |
| 24 | 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 ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 25 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $44,384 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
|  | [Northern Arizona University](/school/northern-arizona-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $44,384](/school/northern-arizona-university/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, with 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 26 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $42,682 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
|  | [Eastern Washington University](/school/eastern-washington-university/majors/) [admits 91% of applicants](/school/eastern-washington-university/admissions/) and posts an average net price of $13,886. |
| 27 | University of Hawaii at Manoa · Honolulu, HI | $38,289 | $15,664 | $10,675 | 86.6% |
|  | [University of Hawaii at Manoa](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/majors/) [ranks 258th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-hawaii-at-manoa/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $38,289 for its Geography graduates four years after completing. |
| 28 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $37,568 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
|  | [Oregon State University](/school/oregon-state-university/majors/) has an [average net price of $19,604](/school/oregon-state-university/cost/) and an admission rate of 77%. |
| 29 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $36,668 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
|  | [University of Arizona](/school/university-of-arizona/majors/) reports [median earnings of $36,668](/school/university-of-arizona/outcomes/) for its Geography graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 41. |
| 30 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $33,993 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
|  | [California State University-Los Angeles](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/majors/) carries an [average net price of $3,967](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/cost/) and ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 31 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus · Las Cruces, NM | $29,685 | $8,889 | $6,648 | 89.0% |
|  | [New Mexico State University-Main Campus](/school/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/majors/) shows an [average net price of $6,648](/school/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000 and an admission rate of 89%. |
| 32 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $23,693 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/majors/) ranks 32nd on this list, with [median earnings of $23,693](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/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 West appear. The earnings figures come from federally aided completers of the Geography program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 8 of the 32 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 University of Nevada-Reno is $370.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Geography Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-geography-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the West](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-west/)
-   [Best Geography Programs in the Midwest](/rankings/best-geography-programs-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/)
-   Social Sciences Colleges in the West