Best Geography Schools Near Waco, TX (2026)

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

Waco, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $2,550 to $15,190 per year for indexed programs. Waco has a population of about 141,925. Median household income is $51,468 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning geography-related role is Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers at a median $145,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Waco

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

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 75.7 miles from Waco
  • 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

#2

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX 80.1 miles from Waco
  • 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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#3

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 82.3 miles from Waco
  • 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

#4

Austin Community College District

Austin, TX 90.7 miles from Waco
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,177
Avg net price $6,390/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,550
Out‑of‑state$10,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 127

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

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#5

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 94.1 miles from Waco
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX 101.7 miles from Waco
  • 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

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#7

Sam Houston State University

Huntsville, TX 113.3 miles from Waco
  • 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

#8

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 114.1 miles from Waco
  • 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

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

Geography Wages Near Waco

Waco is part of the Waco, TX metro area (BLS area code 47380). 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 $85,589
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $73,970 TX statewide $79,968
Surveyors $58,430 Waco, TX $63,168
Urban and Regional Planners $82,830 TX statewide $89,546
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $145,220 TX statewide $156,995
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $99,510 TX statewide $107,578
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $84,670 Waco, TX $91,535
Computer Occupations, All Other $89,190 Waco, TX $96,422

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.

Waco at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 141,925 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,468 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Waco-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Waco, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Waco. The closest is Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX (75.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Austin Community College District (90.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Waco?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Waco are: Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($145,220), Geography Teachers, Postsecondary ($99,510), Computer Occupations, All Other ($89,190). 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 Temple instead of Waco?

Temple, TX is 33.4 miles from Waco 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 Waco an affordable place to study geography?

Waco’s median household income of $51,468 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waco 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 Waco

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

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)