Best Geography Schools Near Paradise, CA (2026)

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

Paradise, California has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $8,472 to $26,283 per year for indexed programs. Paradise has a population of about 211. Median household income is $106,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning geography-related role is Geography Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $146,040 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Paradise

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

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA 12.8 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,172
Avg net price $14,480/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,472
Out‑of‑state$21,072
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Shasta College

Redding, CA 70.9 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,269
Avg net price $2,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 83.2 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,876
Avg net price $9,338/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,018
Out‑of‑state$20,618
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 84.4 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 153

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA 113.4 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,986
Avg net price $12,885/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 147.0 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 148.2 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA 151.5 miles from Paradise
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
59.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,626
Avg net price $13,171/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,250
Out‑of‑state$20,850
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Paradise

Paradise is part of the Chico, CA metro area (BLS area code 17020). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers $114,460 CA statewide $113,103
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $102,780 CA statewide $101,561
Surveyors $105,330 CA statewide $104,081
Urban and Regional Planners $109,610 CA statewide $108,310
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $106,500 CA statewide $105,237
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $146,040 CA statewide $144,308
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $91,210 Chico, CA $90,128
Computer Occupations, All Other $82,730 Chico, CA $81,749

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.

Paradise at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 211 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $106,250 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 54.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.2 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Paradise-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Paradise, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Paradise. The closest is Butte College in Oroville, CA (7.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Shasta College (70.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Paradise?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Paradise are: Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($146,040), Geographers ($114,460), Urban and Regional Planners ($109,610). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Chico instead of Paradise?

Chico, CA is 11.1 miles from Paradise 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 Paradise an affordable place to study geography?

Paradise’s median household income of $106,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paradise while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Paradise

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

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 California: Online Programs (2026)