Best Geography Schools Near Plano, TX (2026)

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

Plano, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Plano has a population of about 287,339. Median household income is $108,649 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 59.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers at a median $132,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Plano

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

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX 4.5 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,227
Avg net price $18,267/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Collin County Community College District

McKinney, TX 10.0 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,701
Avg net price $8,969/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 25.7 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,010
Avg net price $15,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 138

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX 42.8 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,424
Avg net price $36,660/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 103.1 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,040
Avg net price $20,783/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Stephen F Austin State University

Nacogdoches, TX 157.4 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,634
Avg net price $14,260/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 169.7 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,097
Avg net price $21,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX 176.1 miles from Plano
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,211
Avg net price $16,404/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,228
Out‑of‑state$19,068
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 104

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Plano

Plano is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area (BLS area code 19100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers $79,170 TX statewide $76,790
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $72,400 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $70,223
Surveyors $66,030 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $64,045
Urban and Regional Planners $83,520 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $81,009
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $132,780 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $128,788
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $96,180 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $93,288
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $85,210 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $82,648
Computer Occupations, All Other $127,360 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $123,531

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.

Plano at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 287,339 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $108,649 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 59.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Plano-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Plano, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Plano. The closest is The University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, TX (4.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Texas Christian University (42.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Plano?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Plano are: Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($132,780), Computer Occupations, All Other ($127,360), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($96,180). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Richardson instead of Plano?

Richardson, TX is 5.9 miles from Plano 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 Plano an affordable place to study geography?

Plano’s median household income of $108,649 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Plano while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Plano

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

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 Texas: Online Programs (2026)