Best Geography Schools Near Salem, MA (2026)

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

Salem, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $11,808 to $26,160 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 44,241. Median household income is $85,137 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $121,230 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Salem

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

Salem State University

Salem, MA 0.9 miles from Salem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,662
Avg net price $15,996/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (BLS area code 14460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A MA statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $90,910 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $83,943
Surveyors $94,970 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $87,692
Urban and Regional Planners $103,460 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $95,531
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $102,730 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $94,857
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $101,870 MA statewide $94,063
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $100,360 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $92,669
Computer Occupations, All Other $121,230 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $111,939

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.

Salem at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,241 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $85,137 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 49.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 108.3 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Salem-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Salem, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Salem. The closest is Salem State University in Salem, MA (0.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of New Hampshire-Main Campus (43.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Salem are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($121,230), Urban and Regional Planners ($103,460), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($102,730). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Peabody instead of Salem?

Peabody, MA is 3.8 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study geography?

Salem’s median household income of $85,137 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Salem

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

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.

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