Best Geography Schools Near Hot Springs, AR (2026)

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

Hot Springs, Arkansas has 2 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $8,674 to $22,808 per year for indexed programs. Hot Springs has a population of about 38,023. Median household income is $46,441 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $86,940 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Hot Springs

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer geography programs near Hot Springs, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hot Springs 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 Hot Springs. 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

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 52.6 miles from Hot Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,938
Avg net price $16,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, AR 55.8 miles from Hot Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,766
Avg net price $12,970/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,674
Out‑of‑state$14,668
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR 126.3 miles from Hot Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,191
Avg net price $18,209/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,104
Out‑of‑state$29,966
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 142

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Hot Springs

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Geographers N/A
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists N/A
Surveyors $51,800
Urban and Regional Planners $63,530
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $67,880
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary N/A
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $57,220
Computer Occupations, All Other $86,940

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.

Hot Springs at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 38,023 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $46,441 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.7% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 85.7 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Hot Springs-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Hot Springs, AR?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering geography programs near Hot Springs. The closest is University of Central Arkansas in Conway, AR (52.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Arkansas Tech University (55.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles in Arkansas are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($86,940), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($67,880), Urban and Regional Planners ($63,530). Wages for Hot Springs workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Benton instead of Hot Springs?

Benton, AR is 27.8 miles from Hot Springs 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 Hot Springs an affordable place to study geography?

Hot Springs’s median household income of $46,441 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hot Springs while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas 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 Hot Springs

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

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 Arkansas: Online Programs (2026)