Best Geography Schools Near Ridgewood, NJ (2026)

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

Ridgewood, New Jersey has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Ridgewood has a population of about 26,076. Median household income is $217,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 80.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $126,910 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Ridgewood

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

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ 9.5 miles from Ridgewood
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,415
Avg net price $15,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 114

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ 37.7 miles from Ridgewood
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,479
Avg net price $24,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 185

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ 48.8 miles from Ridgewood
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,991
Avg net price $30,988/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ 102.7 miles from Ridgewood
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,988
Avg net price $22,408/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,574
Out‑of‑state$26,932
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 184

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Stockton University

Galloway, NJ 105.3 miles from Ridgewood
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,602
Avg net price $20,670/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Ridgewood

Ridgewood is part of the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area (BLS area code 35620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New Jersey statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A NJ statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $85,500 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $75,933
Surveyors $83,610 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $74,254
Urban and Regional Planners $99,150 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $88,055
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $90,810 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $80,648
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $99,640 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $88,490
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $85,510 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $75,941
Computer Occupations, All Other $126,910 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $112,709

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.

Ridgewood at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,076 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $217,250 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 80.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 112.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ridgewood-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Ridgewood, NJ?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Ridgewood. The closest is Montclair State University in Montclair, NJ (9.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is United States Military Academy (29.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Ridgewood?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Ridgewood are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($126,910), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($99,640), Urban and Regional Planners ($99,150). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New Jersey statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fair Lawn instead of Ridgewood?

Fair Lawn, NJ is 3.2 miles from Ridgewood 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 Ridgewood an affordable place to study geography?

Ridgewood’s median household income of $217,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgewood while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New Jersey 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 Ridgewood

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

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 New Jersey: Online Programs (2026)