Best Geography Schools Near Patterson, CA (2026)

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

Patterson, California has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Patterson has a population of about 24,306. Median household income is $93,542 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 14.2% 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 Patterson

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

Turlock, CA 16.4 miles from Patterson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 41.5 miles from Patterson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 51.4 miles from Patterson
  • 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

#4

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills, CA 54.5 miles from Patterson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,072
Avg net price $7,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 74.9 miles from Patterson
  • 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

#6

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 76.6 miles from Patterson
  • 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

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#7

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 80.7 miles from Patterson
  • 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

#8

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 89.6 miles from Patterson
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 96

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 Patterson

Patterson is part of the Modesto, CA metro area (BLS area code 33700). 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 $109,952
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $102,780 CA statewide $98,732
Surveyors $99,270 Modesto, CA $95,360
Urban and Regional Planners $109,610 CA statewide $105,293
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $106,500 CA statewide $102,305
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $146,040 CA statewide $140,288
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $103,840 Modesto, CA $99,750
Computer Occupations, All Other $101,720 Modesto, CA $97,714

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.

Patterson at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,306 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $93,542 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 14.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 104.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Patterson-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Patterson, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Patterson. The closest is California State University-Stanislaus in Turlock, CA (16.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohlone College (42.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Patterson?

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

Ceres, CA is 13.0 miles from Patterson 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 Patterson an affordable place to study geography?

Patterson’s median household income of $93,542 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Patterson 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 Patterson

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

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)