What Are the Top Schools with Cartography Programs?

<h2 id="section---WhatShouldILookForInATopSchoolForCartography">What Should I Look for in a Top School for Cartography?</h2> <p>As a cartographer, you might prepare maps by hand or using geographic information systems (GIS) tools. Cartography training typically is offered through geography departments at 4-year colleges and universities, and it might be part of a program that also covers GIS or GIScience studies. </p> <p>If you want to study cartography, you might look for a school that has extensive map collections, lab facilities with GIS software and mapping research opportunities. You also might seek a school with a highly ranked geography department. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopCartographySchools">What Are Three Top Cartography Schools?</h2> <h3 id="section---IndianaUniversityOfPennsylvaniaIUPInIndianaPA">Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in Indiana, PA</h3> <p>As a student in IUP's Department of Geography and Regional Planning, you can gain hands-on experience through the James E. Payne Geographic Information Systems/Cartography Lab, the Spatial Environmental Lab and the university's weather station. You also might take part in the department's project to map abandoned and unidentified mines in western Pennsylvania. </p> <p>IUP offers a GIS/cartography track at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The master's program includes both thesis and non-thesis options; students who select the latter must complete a portfolio prior to graduation. Available degrees include: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Geography, GIS and cartographer concentration </li><li>Master of Science in Geography, GIS/cartography track </li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfColoradoCUBoulderInBoulderCO">University of Colorado (CU-Boulder) in Boulder, CO</h3> <p>CU-Boulder tied for 96th among national universities in <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report's</i> 2019 rankings. As an undergraduate student at CU-Boulder, you might choose to complete an internship with a public agency or firm, and you'd have the option of enrolling in an honors program, which would require you to write a thesis your senior year. Among CU-Boulder's six laboratories are the KESDA Ken Erickson Spatial Data Analysis Lab and the Meridian Lab, which develops new software tools for GIS. Available degrees include: </p> <ul><li>Bachelor of Arts in Geography with a GIS, cartography and remote sensing track </li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfWisconsinUWInMadison">University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison</h3> <p>Based on <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> rankings, UW was tied for 49th among national universities in 2019. UW supports the History of Cartography Project and associated book series. The 50-year-old UW Cartography Lab, a full-service production facility offering cartographic services to the university and the public, provides graduate cartography students with diverse hands-on opportunities. The Robinson Map Library has over 500,000 maps and aerial photographs. </p> <p>As an undergraduate at UW, you could major in cartography/GIS or complete a double major in geography and cartography/GIS with an honors thesis option. At the graduate level, you could complete a master's degree in geography/GIS; you also could pursue a cartography/GIS theme through the master's or doctoral programs in geography. Additionally, the university offers a 1-year, 16-credit GIS graduate certificate program, which includes study in cartography and requires a capstone project or internship. These degrees are offered at UW: </p> <ul><li>B.S. in Cartography and GIS </li><li>B.S. in Geography </li><li>M.S. in Geography </li><li>M.S. in Cartography and GIS </li><li>Ph.D. in Geography </li></ul><h2 id="section---TenSchoolsThatOfferCartographyDegrees">Ten Schools That Offer Cartography Degrees</h2> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>College/University</th><th>Institution Type</th><th>Location</th><th>Estimated Undergraduate In-State Tuition (2018-2019)*</th></tr> <tr><td>Brigham Young University </td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Provo, UT</td><td>$6,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Ohio State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Columbus, OH</td><td>$11,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Minnesota</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td> Minneapolis, MN</td><td>$15,000</td></tr> <tr><td>University of Oklahoma</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td> Norman, OK</td><td>$11,500</td></tr> <tr><td>Kennesaw State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Kennesaw, GA</td><td>$6,000</td></tr> <tr><td>South Dakota State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Brookings, SD</td><td>$9,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Radford University</td><td>4-year, Private</td><td>Radford, VA</td><td>$11,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Texas State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>San Marcos, TX</td><td>$10,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Northwest Missouri State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>Maryville,MO</td><td>$8,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Michigan State University</td><td>4-year, Public</td><td>East Lansing, MI</td><td>$14,500</td></tr> </table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>