University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for a masters in geographic information systems.
Why Earn a Master’s in Geographic Information Systems?
Few graduate degrees offer as diverse a career path as a master’s in geographic information systems (GIS). Used in business and daily life, geospatial technology continues to expand rapidly. Geospatial information sciences and GIS deal with the mapping, management, analysis, and storage of data to assess and resolve real-world issues. Because geographical information systems (GIS) focuses on geographic and geospatial data, its uses are extensive. While most people are familiar with using online GPS for driving directions (an amazing use of geographical information systems (GIS) and geospaital technologies), GIS is also used by emergency response teams, environmental scientists, marketing personnel, homeland security, and in a host of other fields. Along with its usefulness, GIS is also an intellectually stimulating area of work. Since geospatial information sciences and geographical information systems (GIS) are a relatively young and dynamic field, careers in it are still evolving. It is, and is expected to remain, a fast-growing job sector in both private industry and government. This means that opportunities to learn about this subject through traditional and online learning are likely to continue to increase.
A student with professional experience in this field may choose between online or traditional graduate programs or a graduate certificate depending on what career they are looking to enter. They may earn an in-person or online Master of Geographic Information Systems, Master's in Geographic Information Science, or a similar GIS degree. Online education options are available in many forms, and a geogaphic information systems graduate degree will prepare you for the highest roles in the field. The title of your degree is less important than the core classes you take. An on-campus or online master degree program will likely use the core courses of the program to cover subjects such as the following and teach GIS graduates technical skills.
- Geospatial Data, Spatial Information, and Spatial Analysis
- Data Mining, Data Collection, and Web Mapping Fundamentals
- Understanding Geospatial Technologies
- Geospatial Technology, the Latest GIS Software, and Geospatial Technology Project Management
- Remote Sensing and Image Processing
- Urban and Regional Planning
- Creating a Geospaital Technology Competency Model
- Environmental Resource Management
- Geographic Information Systems Programming and Automation (Geospatial Programming)
- And More
Top 25 Best Online Masters in Geographic Information Systems Programs
Johns Hopkins University
Score: 93.82
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $62,840
- Out-of-State:$62,840
- Net Price: $22,844
- Acceptance Rate: 8%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 95%
- Total Enrollment: 30,362
- Undergrad Students: 6,089
- Graduate Students: 24,273
- Grads Salary: $94,000
- Student-to-faculty: 6:1
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Score: 86.54
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,728
- Out-of-State:$24,054
- Net Price: $14,216
- Acceptance Rate: 43%
- Retention Rate: 95%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
- Total Enrollment: 49,605
- Undergrad Students: 36,797
- Graduate Students: 12,808
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Score: 86.35
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,459
- Out-of-State:$29,433
- Net Price: $14,860
- Acceptance Rate: 40%
- Retention Rate: 93%
- Graduation Rate: 85%
- Total Enrollment: 37,323
- Undergrad Students: 27,323
- Graduate Students: 10,000
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
University of Southern California
Score: 83.51
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $66,640
- Out-of-State:$66,640
- Net Price: $41,496
- Acceptance Rate: 10%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Total Enrollment: 47,147
- Undergrad Students: 21,023
- Graduate Students: 26,124
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Northeastern University
Score: 83.32
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $27,728
- Out-of-State:$27,728
- Net Price: $34,770
- Acceptance Rate: 6%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 90%
- Total Enrollment: 31,159
- Undergrad Students: 15,891
- Graduate Students: 15,268
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Texas A&M University-College Station
Score: 80.73
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,885
- Out-of-State:$19,882
- Net Price: $21,610
- Acceptance Rate: 63%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 76,633
- Undergrad Students: 59,933
- Graduate Students: 16,700
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
University of Florida-Online
Score: 79.99
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: N/A
- Out-of-State:N/A
- Net Price: $10,412
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 94%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 5,462
- Undergrad Students: 5,462
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 51:1
University of Arizona
Score: 75.67
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,718
- Out-of-State:$32,290
- Net Price: $18,144
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 66%
- Total Enrollment: 53,001
- Undergrad Students: 41,899
- Graduate Students: 11,102
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
The University of West Florida
Score: 74.32
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,088
- Out-of-State:$22,166
- Net Price: $8,908
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 14,371
- Undergrad Students: 9,661
- Graduate Students: 4,710
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
West Virginia University
Score: 73.67
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,908
- Out-of-State:$28,260
- Net Price: $13,691
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 24,200
- Undergrad Students: 18,615
- Graduate Students: 5,585
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
University of Wyoming
Score: 73.03
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,460
- Out-of-State:$19,340
- Net Price: $13,299
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 10,913
- Undergrad Students: 8,250
- Graduate Students: 2,663
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Cincinnati
Score: 72.91
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,224
- Out-of-State:$24,996
- Net Price: $21,511
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 43,338
- Undergrad Students: 31,184
- Graduate Students: 12,154
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
University of Kentucky
Score: 72.38
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,967
- Out-of-State:$34,096
- Net Price: $19,838
- Acceptance Rate: 92%
- Retention Rate: 87%
- Graduation Rate: 70%
- Total Enrollment: 32,703
- Undergrad Students: 23,930
- Graduate Students: 8,773
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Calvin University
Score: 72.07
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,909
- Out-of-State:$10,909
- Net Price: $26,374
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 77%
- Total Enrollment: 3,364
- Undergrad Students: 3,053
- Graduate Students: 311
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Salisbury University
Score: 71.46
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,260
- Out-of-State:$13,525
- Net Price: $17,931
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 7,030
- Undergrad Students: 6,281
- Graduate Students: 749
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Penn State World Campus
Score: 70.29
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $24,406
- Out-of-State:$24,406
- Net Price: $21,171
- Acceptance Rate: 80%
- Retention Rate: 66%
- Graduation Rate: 34%
- Total Enrollment: 13,564
- Undergrad Students: 7,945
- Graduate Students: 5,619
- Grads Salary: $94,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Elmhurst University
Score: 70.27
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $33,667
- Out-of-State:$33,667
- Net Price: $22,760
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 65%
- Total Enrollment: 3,906
- Undergrad Students: 3,138
- Graduate Students: 768
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Northwest Missouri State University
Score: 69.46
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,704
- Out-of-State:$6,704
- Net Price: $15,497
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 58%
- Total Enrollment: 9,664
- Undergrad Students: 5,599
- Graduate Students: 4,065
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
University of Denver
Score: 68.37
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $58,032
- Out-of-State:$58,032
- Net Price: $43,324
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 13,387
- Undergrad Students: 6,415
- Graduate Students: 6,972
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
Sam Houston State University
Score: 68.27
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $5,765
- Out-of-State:$13,109
- Net Price: $14,556
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 21,403
- Undergrad Students: 18,179
- Graduate Students: 3,224
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
Western Kentucky University
Score: 67.71
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,140
- Out-of-State:$18,340
- Net Price: $12,054
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 16,759
- Undergrad Students: 14,590
- Graduate Students: 2,169
- Grads Salary: $66,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Tennessee State University
Score: 67.03
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,844
- Out-of-State:$22,268
- Net Price: $9,231
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 60%
- Graduation Rate: 33%
- Total Enrollment: 8,198
- Undergrad Students: 6,765
- Graduate Students: 1,433
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Kent State University
Score: 66.87
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,483
- Out-of-State:$23,352
- Net Price: $20,333
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 65%
- Total Enrollment: 26,106
- Undergrad Students: 20,485
- Graduate Students: 5,621
- Grads Salary: $65,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
Eastern Illinois University
Score: 66.56
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,060
- Out-of-State:$19,345
- Net Price: $14,621
- Acceptance Rate: 68%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 8,804
- Undergrad Students: 6,849
- Graduate Students: 1,955
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
Delta State University
Score: 66.32
- Graduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,435
- Out-of-State:$8,435
- Net Price: $13,457
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 2,716
- Undergrad Students: 1,964
- Graduate Students: 752
- Grads Salary: $68,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
