Best Geography Schools Near Appleton, WI (2026)

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

Appleton, Wisconsin has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs. Appleton has a population of about 74,873. Median household income is $77,450 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Appleton, WI metro area, the top-earning geography-related role is Computer Occupations, All Other at a median $83,660 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Geography Schools to Appleton

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

Oshkosh, WI 19.1 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,548
Avg net price $14,305/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Stevens Point, WI 60.9 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,021
Avg net price $14,559/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI 86.8 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,990
Avg net price $15,014/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI 97.3 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,792
Avg net price $17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 246

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI 101.2 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,356
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Kenosha, WI 115.8 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,129
Avg net price $11,772/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Carthage College

Kenosha, WI 117.8 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
47.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,950
Avg net price $26,565/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,750
Out‑of‑state$38,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

La Crosse, WI 144.7 miles from Appleton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,378
Avg net price $16,210/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Geography Wages Near Appleton

Appleton is part of the Appleton, WI metro area (BLS area code 11540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Geographers N/A WI statewide –
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists $76,760 WI statewide $83,074
Surveyors $79,650 WI statewide $86,201
Urban and Regional Planners $81,770 Appleton, WI $88,496
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers $78,610 WI statewide $85,076
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary $78,710 WI statewide $85,184
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $66,300 Appleton, WI $71,753
Computer Occupations, All Other $83,660 Appleton, WI $90,541

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.

Appleton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 74,873 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $77,450 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 92.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Appleton-Area Cities With Geography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited geography schools are near Appleton, WI?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering geography programs near Appleton. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Oshkosh, WI (19.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Wisconsin-Madison (97.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying geography roles near Appleton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying geography-related roles near Appleton are: Computer Occupations, All Other ($83,660), Urban and Regional Planners ($81,770), Surveyors ($79,650). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Neenah instead of Appleton?

Neenah, WI is 8.7 miles from Appleton 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 Appleton an affordable place to study geography?

Appleton’s median household income of $77,450 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Appleton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Appleton

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

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 Wisconsin: Online Programs (2026)