Best Geography Schools Near Willoughby, OH (2026)

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

Willoughby, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $13,135 to $26,284 per year for indexed programs. Willoughby has a population of about 23,934. Median household income is $70,884 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, OH metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $104,870 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Willoughby

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

Kent State University at Kent

Kent, OH 34.7 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,388
Avg net price $20,787/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 181

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Akron Main Campus

Akron, OH 39.7 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
48.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,600
Avg net price $13,946/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,135
Out‑of‑state$20,815
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 159

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH 54.4 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,544
Avg net price $12,767/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Toledo

Toledo, OH 113.9 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,632
Avg net price $17,249/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 155

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green, OH 117.0 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,896
Avg net price $24,022/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 139

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ohio Wesleyan University

Delaware, OH 127.3 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
53.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,624
Avg net price $20,897/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH 141.2 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,409
Avg net price $17,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Columbus State Community College

Columbus, OH 142.3 miles from Willoughby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,435
Avg net price $8,400/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Willoughby

Willoughby is part of the Cleveland, OH metro area (BLS area code 17410). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A OH statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $72,420 Cleveland, OH $77,125
Surveyors $64,300 Cleveland, OH $68,477
Urban and Regional Planners $81,290 Cleveland, OH $86,571
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $77,890 Cleveland, OH $82,950
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $81,290 OH statewide $86,571
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $66,890 Cleveland, OH $71,235
Computer Occupations, All Other $104,870 Cleveland, OH $111,683

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.

Willoughby at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,934 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $70,884 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Willoughby-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Willoughby, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Willoughby. The closest is Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, OH (2.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Youngstown State University (54.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Willoughby?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Willoughby are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($104,870), Urban and Regional Planners ($81,290), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($81,290). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mentor instead of Willoughby?

Mentor, OH is 4.8 miles from Willoughby 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 Willoughby an affordable place to study geography?

Willoughby’s median household income of $70,884 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Willoughby while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Willoughby

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

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 Ohio: Online Programs (2026)