Best Geography Schools Near Gardner, KS (2026)

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

Gardner, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Gardner has a population of about 24,020. Median household income is $92,579 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $105,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Gardner

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

Haskell Indian Nations University

Lawrence, KS 18.4 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
57.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,043
Avg net price $3,134/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 92.3 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 163

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KS 99.2 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,579
Avg net price $15,784/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 74

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Gardner

Gardner is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 28140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A KS statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $101,810 Kansas City, MO-KS $110,065
Surveyors $73,780 Kansas City, MO-KS $79,762
Urban and Regional Planners $84,520 Kansas City, MO-KS $91,373
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $90,060 Kansas City, MO-KS $97,362
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary N/A KS statewide –
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $80,690 Kansas City, MO-KS $87,232
Computer Occupations, All Other $105,470 Kansas City, MO-KS $114,022

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.

Gardner at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,020 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $92,579 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Gardner-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Gardner, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Gardner. The closest is Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS (18.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pittsburg State University (99.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Gardner?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Gardner are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($105,470), Cartographers and Photogrammetrists ($101,810), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($90,060). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Olathe instead of Gardner?

Olathe, KS is 7.6 miles from Gardner 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 Gardner an affordable place to study geography?

Gardner’s median household income of $92,579 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gardner while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Gardner

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

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 Kansas: Online Programs (2026)