Best Geography Schools Near Lancaster, PA (2026)

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

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning geography-related role is Geography Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $97,120 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Lancaster

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

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, PA 4.1 miles from Lancaster
  • 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

#2

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA 37.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 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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#3

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 42.5 miles from Lancaster
  • 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

#4

Villanova University

Villanova, PA 50.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 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

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#5

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 58.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 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

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA 60.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 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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#7

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, PA 64.6 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,351
Avg net price $23,726/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, PA 67.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 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

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

Geography Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). 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 $74,446
Surveyors $76,880 Lancaster, PA $78,210
Urban and Regional Planners $80,100 Lancaster, PA $81,485
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $84,180 PA statewide $85,636
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $97,120 PA statewide $98,800
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $66,310 Lancaster, PA $67,457
Computer Occupations, All Other $81,750 Lancaster, PA $83,164

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.

Lancaster at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 57,683 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,421 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Lancaster, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Lancaster. The closest is Millersville University of Pennsylvania in Millersville, PA (4.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (42.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Lancaster are: Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($97,120), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($84,180), Computer Occupations, All Other ($81,750). 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 Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study geography?

Lancaster’s median household income of $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster 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 Lancaster

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

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)