Best Geography Schools Near Bellevue, WA (2026)

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

Bellevue, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs, with tuition ranging from $4,711 to $31,905 per year for indexed programs. Bellevue has a population of about 151,199. Median household income is $161,300 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 71.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $136,120 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Bellevue

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

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 8.1 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Green River College

Auburn, WA 19.5 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
56.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,712
Avg net price $13,803/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,711
Out‑of‑state$5,263
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Olympic College

Bremerton, WA 22.4 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
60.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,169
Avg net price $7,172/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA 27.6 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $10,163/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

The Evergreen State College

Olympia, WA 52.7 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
39.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,320
Avg net price $24,319/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,264
Out‑of‑state$31,905
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon, WA 58.6 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,505
Avg net price $6,064/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA 80.4 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,569
Avg net price $21,193/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA 86.1 miles from Bellevue
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,580
Avg net price $18,476/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Bellevue

Bellevue is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers $112,260 WA statewide $101,044
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $100,080 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $90,081
Surveyors $85,610 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $77,057
Urban and Regional Planners $108,040 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $97,246
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $107,800 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $97,030
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $100,080 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $90,081
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $102,980 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $92,691
Computer Occupations, All Other $136,120 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $122,520

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.

Bellevue at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 151,199 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $161,300 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 71.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 111.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Bellevue-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Bellevue, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Bellevue. The closest is University of Washington-Seattle Campus in Seattle, WA (8.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The Evergreen State College (52.7 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Bellevue?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Bellevue are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($136,120), Geographers ($112,260), Urban and Regional Planners ($108,040). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mercer Island instead of Bellevue?

Mercer Island, WA is 4.0 miles from Bellevue 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 Bellevue an affordable place to study geography?

Bellevue’s median household income of $161,300 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bellevue while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Bellevue

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

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 Washington: Online Programs (2026)