Best Geography Schools Near Bethlehem, PA (2026)

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

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Bethlehem has a population of about 77,069. Median household income is $66,443 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $99,610 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Bethlehem

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

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 23.2 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,775
Avg net price $21,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, PA 27.5 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,148
Avg net price $18,134/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Villanova University

Villanova, PA 40.8 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $100,423
Avg net price $43,756/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA 46.0 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,727
Avg net price $28,198/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 47.6 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $111,371
Avg net price $28,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA 48.1 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,258
Avg net price $23,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, PA 62.3 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,416
Avg net price $15,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, PA 67.7 miles from Bethlehem
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,246
Avg net price $20,787/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Bethlehem

Bethlehem is part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area (BLS area code 10900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A PA statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $73,180 PA statewide $73,180
Surveyors $78,230 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $78,230
Urban and Regional Planners $82,030 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $82,030
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $84,180 PA statewide $84,180
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $97,120 PA statewide $97,120
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $75,400 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $75,400
Computer Occupations, All Other $99,610 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $99,610

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.

Bethlehem at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 77,069 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,443 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 100.0 (at U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Bethlehem-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Bethlehem, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Bethlehem. The closest is Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in Kutztown, PA (23.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Pennsylvania (47.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Bethlehem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Bethlehem are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($99,610), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($97,120), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($84,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Allentown instead of Bethlehem?

Allentown, PA is 6.0 miles from Bethlehem 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 Bethlehem an affordable place to study geography?

Bethlehem’s median household income of $66,443 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bethlehem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Bethlehem

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

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 Pennsylvania: Online Programs (2026)