Best Geography Schools Near Maricopa, AZ (2026)

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

Maricopa, Arizona has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $2,358 to $19,281 per year for indexed programs. Maricopa has a population of about 62,986. Median household income is $94,208 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.7% 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 Maricopa

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer geography programs near Maricopa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Maricopa 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 Maricopa. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Mesa Community College

Mesa, AZ 25.3 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#2

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ 26.2 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

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#3

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ 29.4 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#4

Phoenix College

Phoenix, AZ 30.5 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

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#5

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ 33.1 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#6

Tohono O'odham Community College

Sells, AZ 75.0 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

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#7

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 83.6 miles from Maricopa
  • 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

#8

Arizona Western College

Yuma, AZ 146.0 miles from Maricopa
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,857
Avg net price $8,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Maricopa

Maricopa 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.

Maricopa at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 62,986 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $94,208 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Maricopa-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Maricopa, AZ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Maricopa. The closest is Mesa Community College in Mesa, AZ (25.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Scottsdale Community College (33.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Maricopa?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Maricopa 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 Casa Grande instead of Maricopa?

Casa Grande, AZ is 17.5 miles from Maricopa 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 Maricopa an affordable place to study geography?

Maricopa’s median household income of $94,208 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Maricopa 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 Maricopa

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

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)