Best Geography Schools Near Parkersburg, WV (2026)

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

Parkersburg, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs. Parkersburg has a population of about 29,461. Median household income is $44,675 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $106,330 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Parkersburg

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

Marshall University

Huntington, WV 75.1 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,354
Avg net price $7,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 100

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

West Liberty University

West Liberty, WV 79.9 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,296
Avg net price $15,366/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV 88.5 miles from Parkersburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,939
Avg net price $15,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Parkersburg

Parkersburg is part of the Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area (BLS area code 37620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to West Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A WV statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists N/A WV statewide –
Surveyors $61,520 WV statewide $70,631
Urban and Regional Planners $61,390 WV statewide $70,482
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $76,060 WV statewide $87,325
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary N/A WV statewide –
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $82,100 WV statewide $94,259
Computer Occupations, All Other $106,330 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $122,078

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.

Parkersburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 29,461 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $44,675 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Parkersburg-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Parkersburg, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering geography programs near Parkersburg. The closest is Ohio University-Main Campus in Athens, OH (30.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbus State Community College (91.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Parkersburg?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Parkersburg are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($106,330), Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health ($82,100), Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers ($76,060). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with West Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Marietta instead of Parkersburg?

Marietta, OH is 12.3 miles from Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg an affordable place to study geography?

Parkersburg’s median household income of $44,675 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Parkersburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West Virginia 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 Parkersburg

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

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.

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