New Jersey has 10 schools with verified geography or geographic information systems (GIS) credentials: 6 public universities, Monmouth University, and 3 community colleges. Rutgers University–New Brunswick offers geography degrees through the Ph.D. Montclair State and Rowan offer geography bachelor’s degrees, and Rowan adds a B.S. in Geographic Information Science. None of these credentials is officially described as fully online.
Quick picks for New Jersey
- Lowest resident bachelor’s tuition: Rowan University, $12,962 per year.
- Only GIS bachelor’s degree: Rowan University, B.S. in Geographic Information Science.
- Lowest-cost GIS certificate: Atlantic Cape Community College, $3,213 in-county total for 17 credits.
- Only geography master’s and Ph.D.: Rutgers University–New Brunswick.
- Online: no New Jersey credential is verified as fully online; see online options.
Rates are resident tuition before fees. See the tuition comparison for nonresident rates and fees.
New Jersey Geography and GIS Programs at a Glance
Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Geography Geospatial Information Science Certificate Certificate in Environmental Geomatics | Campus (New Brunswick) | B.A. major: 36 Geomatics certificate: 19 | Geography tracks include Geographical Techniques |
| Montclair State University | B.A. in Geographic, Environmental, and Urban Studies B.A. in Geography with Teacher Certification | On campus (Montclair) | 120 (major 50–54) | Geoinformatics track; senior seminar or internship |
| Rowan University | B.A. in Geography Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Geographic Information Science Certificate in Foundations of GIScience Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Cartography and GIS | Campus (Glassboro) | Degrees: 120 Certificates: 13 and 22 | GIS degree includes drones, remote sensing, and a senior seminar |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | B.S. in Surveying Engineering Technology | Not stated (Newark) | 120 | Geomatics degree with GIS, photogrammetry, and geodesy |
| Stockton University | GIS Certificate | Not stated (Galloway) | 16 beyond a prerequisite | Ends in a GIS internship or senior project |
| William Paterson University | GIS Certificate | In person (Wayne) | 9 | Open to students from other schools |
Graduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Geography Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Geography Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science (for enrolled Rutgers graduate students) | Campus (New Brunswick) | Master’s: 30 Ph.D.: 72 Certificate: 12 | GRE not considered; doctoral funding packages |
| Rowan University | Certificate of Graduate Study in Geospatial Science and Methods | Not stated (Glassboro) | 10 | Can be earned alongside the planning master’s |
| Monmouth University | Graduate Certificate in GIS | Not stated (West Long Branch) | 12 | Spatial databases and spatial analysis |
Credentials were verified against 2026–27 catalogs or program guides. Minors are not listed.
Community College Degrees and Certificates
| College | Credential | Units | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden County College | GIS Academic Certificate | 34 | Not online |
| Atlantic Cape Community College | Oracle Database and GIS Specialist (professional series) | 17 | Not stated |
| Atlantic Cape Community College | Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Data Collection Technician option | 60 | Not stated |
| Warren County Community College | A.A.S. and Associate of Science (A.S.) in Unmanned Systems Drone Pilot Certificate | 60 30 | Not stated (Washington) |
Warren’s and Atlantic Cape’s drone programs require GIS, remote sensing, and aerial mapping courses. Under New Jersey’s statewide transfer agreement, A.A. and A.S. graduates transfer to a public four-year school as juniors with half of a bachelor’s degree complete. A.A.S. degrees and certificates are not covered by that guarantee.
Related Urban Planning Programs
These planning degrees include GIS coursework but are not geography or GIS degrees.
- Rutgers: B.A. in City and Regional Planning (Introduction to GIS and an internship required), B.S. in Urban Planning and Design, and a 48-credit Master of City and Regional Planning with an Urban Informatics concentration.
- Rowan: B.S. in Community and Environmental Planning and a 46-credit M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning that requires GIS and geovisualization courses.
- William Paterson: B.A. in Urban Planning and Policy, with a GIS analytics requirement and a planning studio.
See our urban planning guide.
Online Geography and GIS Programs in New Jersey
An online course is not the same as an online degree. The programs below have an official statement that the full credential can be completed online. The next list covers programs that only offer some coursework online.
Verified fully online options
We found no New Jersey geography or GIS credential with an official statement that it can be completed fully online.
Online coursework, but not a verified fully online program
- Rowan M.S. in Urban and Regional Planning: described as face-to-face with some online options.
- Rutgers Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science: approved online courses from outside providers can count toward the advanced-topics requirement.
- Rutgers Master of Business and Science, GIS track: advertised as in-person and hybrid. It is not on the program’s list of online concentrations.
For online programs based in other states, see online geography schools.
New Jersey School Summaries
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Rutgers’ B.A. in Geography requires at least 36 credits: three survey courses, Geographical Research Methods, History and Theory of Geography, and 18 credits across three tracks. Students take 12 credits in one track and 3 in each of the others. The tracks are Global Culture, Economics, and Society; Environment; and Geographical Techniques. An internship and honors thesis are optional.
Two undergraduate certificates cover geospatial skills. The Geospatial Information Science Certificate lists six courses, including GIS, remote sensing, cartography, and spatial data analysis, and is awarded with or after the bachelor’s degree. The 19-credit Certificate in Environmental Geomatics, from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, is open to any major.
The M.A. or M.S. in Geography requires 30 credits, with a thesis option or an exam option. The Ph.D. requires 72 credits, including at least 24 research credits. Applicants submit three letters, and the department does not consider GRE scores. It offers four- or five-year funding packages with full tuition remission to a select number of doctoral students, but says guaranteed funding for master’s students is not typically available.
Rutgers’ Newark and Camden campuses have no geography or GIS credential.
- Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science: 12 credits, including a capstone seminar. It is open only to students already enrolled in a Rutgers master’s or Ph.D. program.
- Master of Business and Science, Geospatial Information Systems and Technology track: at least 43 credits of science and business courses, with a capstone and an internship requirement.
Sources: Geography B.A.; geography certificates; Environmental Geomatics certificate; graduate geography; graduate funding; graduate GIScience certificate; Master of Business and Science GIS track.
Montclair State University
Montclair State’s B.A. in Geographic, Environmental, and Urban Studies has a 50–54 credit major. The core includes Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing and Research Methods, and the degree ends in a senior seminar or an urban studies internship. Students choose one of four tracks. The Geoinformatics track adds GIS, Remote Sensing, and courses such as Advanced GIScience and Python. A B.A. in Geography with teacher certification is also offered.
The department’s web page still mentions graduate GIS certificates, but none appears in the 2026–27 catalog.
Sources: B.A. catalog; program page.
Rowan University
Rowan’s Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability offers a B.A. in Geography and a B.S. in Geographic Information Science. The B.A. requires Digital Earth: Mapping and GIScience, History and Methods, a research clinic, and a senior seminar, plus 18 elective credits. The B.S. requires Fundamentals of GIS, Cartography, Applications of GIS, Geospatial Measurement and Environmental Modeling, and Drones, Planes, and Satellites, along with the research clinic and senior seminar.
Certificates include the 13-credit undergraduate Foundations of Geographic Information Science, a 22-credit part-time post-baccalaureate certificate in cartography and GIS, and a 10-credit Certificate of Graduate Study in Geospatial Science and Methods.
Sources: Geography B.A.; GIScience B.S.; Foundations certificate; post-baccalaureate certificate; graduate certificate; planning M.S..
New Jersey Institute of Technology
NJIT has no geography degree. Its 120-credit B.S. in Surveying Engineering Technology includes Introduction to Geomatics, Photogrammetry, Fundamentals of Geodesy, and Geographic Information Systems, with electives in remote sensing, image processing, and drones. It ends in a senior project in surveying.
Sources: Surveying Engineering Technology B.S..
Stockton University
Stockton’s GIS Certificate requires at least 16 credits after a statistics, research methods, or calculus prerequisite. Students take GIS, then Advanced GIS or Remote Sensing, an elective such as LiDAR or web mapping, and a GIS internship or senior project. The department says the certificate is also suitable for graduate students.
Sources: GIS certificate; catalog.
William Paterson University
William Paterson offers a 9-credit undergraduate GIS Certificate of three courses, from introductory GIS to applied global analysis. It is taught in person and is open to students from other schools. The university does not list a geography major in its current catalog.
Sources: certificate catalog; program page.
Monmouth University
Monmouth’s 12-credit Graduate Certificate in GIS requires Introduction to Geographical Information Systems, Spatial Database Design and Management in GIS, and Spatial Analysis, plus one elective. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA and a short essay.
Sources: certificate catalog; program page.
Community Colleges
Camden County College offers a 34-credit GIS certificate that combines GIS, mapping and cartography, remote sensing, Python, and CAD courses, ending in a capstone with a professional portfolio. Atlantic Cape Community College offers a 17-credit database and GIS certificate and a 60-credit A.A.S. in drone data collection that includes remote sensing, GIS, aerial image analysis, and geodesy.
Warren County Community College offers A.A.S. and A.S. degrees in unmanned systems and a 30-credit drone pilot certificate. The degrees include Introduction to GIS, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and LiDAR courses.
Sources: Camden GIS; Atlantic Cape GIS; Atlantic Cape drone A.A.S.; Warren catalog; statewide transfer agreement.
Schools not included
- Rider University: offers earth and environmental science degrees with a GIS course, but no geography or GIS credential.
- Kean University, The College of New Jersey, and Ramapo College: no geography or GIS credential. New Jersey City University merged into Kean in July 2026.
- William Paterson University: geography degrees appear only in archived catalogs.
- Community colleges: Bergen’s and Sussex’s GIS certificates are not in their 2026–27 catalogs. Rowan College at Burlington County ended its geospatial degree and certificate in 2024.
- Courses or concentrations only: Brookdale’s Social Sciences A.A. allows a short geography concentration, and Rowan College of South Jersey’s surveying degree includes one GIS course.
- No geography or GIS credential: Princeton, Stevens, Seton Hall, Fairleigh Dickinson, Drew, Saint Peter’s, and Thomas Edison State University.
Tuition Comparison
Estimated tuition is our arithmetic from each published rate and the stated basis. Each figure is labeled “per year” or “total.” None includes fees, housing, books, or other costs.
Undergraduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers–New Brunswick Geography B.A. | $7,690.50 per semester (resident) $18,415.50 per semester (nonresident) | Two semesters | $15,381 resident per year $36,831 nonresident per year | $2,004 per semester |
| Montclair State Geographic, Environmental, and Urban Studies B.A. | $8,294 per semester (in-state, 12–18 credits) $13,962 per semester (out-of-state) | Two semesters | $16,588 in-state per year $27,924 out-of-state per year | $611 per semester |
| Rowan Geography B.A. or GIScience B.S. | $6,481 per semester (in-state, 12–17 credits) $12,163 per semester (out-of-state) | Two semesters | $12,962 in-state per year $24,326 out-of-state per year | $2,669 per semester |
| NJIT Surveying Engineering Technology B.S. | $9,176 per semester (in-state, 12–17 credits) $19,113 per semester (out-of-state) | Two semesters | $18,352 in-state per year $38,226 out-of-state per year | $2,037 per semester |
| Stockton GIS Certificate | $554 per credit (in-state) $892 per credit (out-of-state) | 16 credits | $8,864 in-state total $14,272 out-of-state total | $114 per credit |
| William Paterson GIS Certificate | $536.50 per credit (in-state) $886.50 per credit (out-of-state) | 9 credits | $4,828.50 in-state total $7,978.50 out-of-state total | $19.62 per credit |
| Camden County College GIS Academic Certificate | $150 per credit (county) $160 per credit (out-of-county) Rates are undated | 34 credits | $5,100 county total $5,440 out-of-county total | $70 per credit |
| Atlantic Cape Community College Database and GIS certificate; drone A.A.S. | $189 per credit (in-county) $239 (out-of-county) $289 (out-of-state) | Certificate 17 credits; A.A.S. 60 credits | Certificate: $3,213 in-county total; $4,063 out-of-county total; $4,913 out-of-state total A.A.S.: $11,340 in-county total; $14,340 out-of-county total; $17,340 out-of-state total | $40.50 per credit, plus $60 per semester |
| Warren County Community College Unmanned Systems A.A.S. or A.S. | $185 per credit (county) $195 (out-of-county) $225 (out-of-state) | 60 credits | $11,100 county total $11,700 out-of-county total $13,500 out-of-state total | $13 per credit, plus drone program fees |
Rates are 2026–27 unless the row notes otherwise.
Graduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers–New Brunswick M.A., M.S., or Ph.D. in Geography | $11,148 per semester (resident, 12+ credits) $19,140 per semester (nonresident) | Two semesters | $22,296 resident per year $38,280 nonresident per year | $1,418.50 per semester. Funded doctoral students receive tuition remission. |
| Rowan Certificate of Graduate Study in Geospatial Science and Methods | $921 per credit, any residency | 10 credits | $9,210 total | $214.50 per credit |
| Monmouth Graduate Certificate in GIS | $995 per credit (page effective February 26, 2026) | 12 credits | $11,940 total | $200 per term part-time; $400 at 9 or more credits |
Rates are 2026–27 unless the row notes otherwise.
Why some rates do not compare directly
- Rutgers charges different undergraduate rates by school. The Environmental Geomatics certificate’s school charges more than the geography department’s school.
- Rowan charges one graduate rate regardless of residency.
- Community colleges charge less to residents of their own county. Camden County College’s published worksheet has no academic-year label.
- Rowan’s post-baccalaureate certificate is made up of undergraduate courses, and the university does not publish a separate rate for it.
How to Choose a Geography or GIS Program in New Jersey
Broad geography or technical GIS
Rutgers, Montclair State, and Rowan offer broad geography bachelor’s degrees with a techniques or geoinformatics option. Rowan’s B.S. in Geographic Information Science is the state’s most technical GIS bachelor’s degree, and NJIT’s surveying degree covers geomatics. Read more about GIScience degrees and geospatial technology.
Certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree
GIS certificates range from 9 credits at William Paterson to 34 at Camden County College. Rutgers is the only school with geography master’s and Ph.D. programs. Compare bachelor’s and master’s programs nationally.
Online or campus
All New Jersey geography and GIS credentials are campus programs. Students who need a fully online option will need to look at programs based in other states.
Research or professional master’s
Rutgers’ geography master’s degree offers a thesis option and an exam option. Students considering a Ph.D. should check research preparation and admissions requirements. A thesis can help demonstrate research experience.
Funding
Rutgers offers multiyear funding packages to a select number of geography Ph.D. students and says guaranteed master’s funding is not typically available. Rowan and Monmouth do not advertise funding for their GIS certificates.
Students open to nearby states can also compare programs in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, or browse all state guides.
Sources and Review Date
Reviewed October 2, 2026. Program details come from each school’s 2026–27 catalog, program guide, or program pages. Tuition comes from each school’s 2026–27 schedule unless a row notes otherwise.
- Rutgers: tuition and fees
- Montclair State: undergraduate costs
- Rowan: undergraduate tuition, graduate tuition
- NJIT: tuition and fees
- Stockton: tuition and fees
- William Paterson: tuition and fees
- Monmouth: graduate tuition
- Community colleges: Camden, Atlantic Cape, Warren catalog
Program-level source links appear at the end of each school summary. Programs, rates, and requirements change, so confirm them with each school before applying.