Best Geography Schools Near Fort Wayne, IN (2026)

Fort Wayne, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Fort Wayne has a population of about 266,235. Median household income is $60,293 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Fort Wayne, IN metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Surveyors at a median $84,800 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Geography Schools to Fort Wayne

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

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

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#1

Ball State University

Muncie, IN 62.7 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,833
Avg net price $14,940/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 175

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN 101.8 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,191
Avg net price $18,578/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN 103.3 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,424
Avg net price $14,600/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 198

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN 105.8 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,198
Avg net price $11,668/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,762
Out‑of‑state$34,891
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 204

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN 151.6 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,742
Avg net price $16,264/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 192

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, IN 163.6 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,387
Avg net price $10,873/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Indiana University-Southeast

New Albany, IN 192.9 miles from Fort Wayne
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,596
Avg net price $7,888/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Geography Wages Near Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne is part of the Fort Wayne, IN metro area (BLS area code 23060). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A IN statewide
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $74,800 IN statewide $80,778
Surveyors $84,800 Fort Wayne, IN $91,577
Urban and Regional Planners $75,240 Fort Wayne, IN $81,253
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $68,240 IN statewide $73,693
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $82,830 IN statewide $89,449
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $61,090 Fort Wayne, IN $65,972
Computer Occupations, All Other $82,860 Fort Wayne, IN $89,482

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.


Fort Wayne at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 266,235 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,293 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Fort Wayne-Area Cities With Geography Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Fort Wayne, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Fort Wayne. The closest is Ball State University in Muncie, IN (62.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Owens Community College (90.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Fort Wayne?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Fort Wayne are: Surveyors ($84,800), Computer Occupations, All Other ($82,860), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($82,830). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Auburn instead of Fort Wayne?

Auburn, IN is 19.7 miles from Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne an affordable place to study geography?

Fort Wayne’s median household income of $60,293 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Wayne while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana 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 Fort Wayne

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

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.