Best Geography Schools Near Chicago, IL (2026)

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

Chicago, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Chicago has a population of about 2,707,648. Median household income is $75,134 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers at a median $114,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Chicago

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

DePaul University

Chicago, IL 4.1 miles from Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,751
Avg net price $30,902/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 5.6 miles from Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,885
Avg net price $14,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Chicago State University

Chicago, IL 9.1 miles from Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,778
Avg net price $12,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, IL 10.0 miles from Chicago
  • 4 year
35.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,234
Avg net price $14,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, IL 11.4 miles from Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,530
Avg net price $36,079/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Chicago

Chicago is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers $92,640 IL statewide $89,421
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $54,680 IL statewide $52,780
Surveyors $80,060 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $77,278
Urban and Regional Planners $98,840 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $95,405
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $114,030 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $110,068
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $103,280 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $99,691
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $85,310 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $82,346
Computer Occupations, All Other $101,660 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $98,127

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.

Chicago at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 2,707,648 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $75,134 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 43.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chicago-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Chicago, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Chicago. The closest is DePaul University in Chicago, IL (4.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loyola University Chicago (11.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Chicago?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Chicago are: Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($114,030), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($103,280), Computer Occupations, All Other ($101,660). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cicero instead of Chicago?

Cicero, IL is 3.8 miles from Chicago 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 Chicago an affordable place to study geography?

Chicago’s median household income of $75,134 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chicago while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Chicago

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

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 Illinois: Online Programs (2026)