Best Geography Schools Near Matthews, NC (2026)

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

Matthews, North Carolina has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs. Matthews has a population of about 29,959. Median household income is $105,579 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $110,790 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Matthews

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

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 12.9 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC 82.8 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,160
Avg net price $10,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 93.3 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 102.8 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,144
Avg net price $7,892/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 108.2 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 123.5 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,758
Avg net price $17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC 172.5 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,967
Avg net price $20,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 191.3 miles from Matthews
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,146
Avg net price $15,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Matthews

Matthews is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A NC statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $79,330 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $81,531
Surveyors $76,710 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $78,839
Urban and Regional Planners $83,170 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $85,478
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $86,420 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $88,818
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $84,630 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $86,978
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $72,730 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $74,748
Computer Occupations, All Other $110,790 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $113,864

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.

Matthews at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,959 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $105,579 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 53.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Matthews-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Matthews, NC?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs near Matthews. The closest is University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC (12.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Appalachian State University (93.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Matthews?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Matthews are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($110,790), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($86,420), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($84,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Indian Trail instead of Matthews?

Indian Trail, NC is 5.0 miles from Matthews 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 Matthews an affordable place to study geography?

Matthews’s median household income of $105,579 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Matthews while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Matthews

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

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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