Best Geography Schools Near Niagara Falls, NY (2026)

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

Niagara Falls, New York has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $8,533 to $31,536 per year for indexed programs. Niagara Falls has a population of about 48,198. Median household income is $48,535 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $104,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Niagara Falls

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

SUNY Buffalo State University

Buffalo, NY 12.8 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 73%
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,334
Avg net price $11,346/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,533
Out‑of‑state$19,653
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY 13.0 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,814
Avg net price $20,995/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,936
Out‑of‑state$31,536
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 193

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

SUNY College at Geneseo

Geneseo, NY 63.7 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
77.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,316
Avg net price $18,211/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,999
Out‑of‑state$19,569
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 145.5 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $79,164
Avg net price $38,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 186

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

State University of New York at Cortland

Cortland, NY 147.2 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
67.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,236
Avg net price $22,345/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,874
Out‑of‑state$18,784
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY 169.8 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
81.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 39%
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,596
Avg net price $21,620/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,567
Out‑of‑state$30,447
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 110

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY 176.9 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
69.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $85,139
Avg net price $28,786/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY 204.9 miles from Niagara Falls
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,386
Avg net price $19,158/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,831
Out‑of‑state$19,781
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is part of the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area (BLS area code 15380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A NY statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $89,290 NY statewide $93,205
Surveyors $75,210 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $78,507
Urban and Regional Planners $82,270 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $85,877
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $81,710 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $85,292
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $100,420 NY statewide $104,823
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $76,700 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $80,063
Computer Occupations, All Other $104,700 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $109,290

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.

Niagara Falls at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 48,198 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,535 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Niagara Falls-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Niagara Falls, NY?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs near Niagara Falls. The closest is SUNY Buffalo State University in Buffalo, NY (12.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Monroe Community College (70.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Niagara Falls?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Niagara Falls are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($104,700), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($100,420), Cartographers and Photogrammetrists ($89,290). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in North Tonawanda instead of Niagara Falls?

North Tonawanda, NY is 8.2 miles from Niagara Falls 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 Niagara Falls an affordable place to study geography?

Niagara Falls’s median household income of $48,535 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Niagara Falls while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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 Niagara Falls

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

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 York: Online Programs (2026)