Best Geography Schools Near Glendale, AZ (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Glendale, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $19,281 per year for indexed programs. Glendale has a population of about 250,193. Median household income is $70,139 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $110,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Glendale

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer geography programs near Glendale, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Glendale city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Glendale. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 10.4 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,870
Avg net price $12,055/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ 19.1 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Exclusively online
61.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 140

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 20.1 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 17%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,905
Avg net price $13,336/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,358
Out‑of‑state$8,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 20.1 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,668
Avg net price $14,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 305

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 24.2 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,034
Avg net price $12,132/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 132

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Tohono O'odham Community College

Sells, AZ 113.8 miles from Glendale
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 15%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,229
Avg net price $4,233/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ 115.8 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,384
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 176

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 118.8 miles from Glendale
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,979
Avg net price $16,674/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 250

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arizona schools on the Arizona geography page.

Geography Wages Near Glendale

Glendale is part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area (BLS area code 38060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Arizona statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A AZ statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $88,820 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $85,983
Surveyors $79,500 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $76,960
Urban and Regional Planners $107,470 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $104,037
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $81,750 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $79,138
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $82,510 AZ statewide $79,874
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $80,600 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $78,025
Computer Occupations, All Other $110,590 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $107,057

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Glendale at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 250,193 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $70,139 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 23.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Glendale-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Glendale, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Glendale. The closest is Phoenix College in Phoenix, AZ (10.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mesa Community College (24.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Glendale?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Glendale are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($110,590), Urban and Regional Planners ($107,470), Cartographers and Photogrammetrists ($88,820). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Arizona statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in El Mirage instead of Glendale?

El Mirage, AZ is 5.9 miles from Glendale and has its own set of local geography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Glendale an affordable place to study geography?

Glendale’s median household income of $70,139 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Glendale while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arizona public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Geography Programs

Other Programs Available in Glendale

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Glendale:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Geography Schools in Arizona: Online Programs (2026)