Colgate’s a fine school. Obviously you would go TO.
It will not be $50K - in fact, a huge % of their students - well over half - are full pay - again, no merit there.
The major - most likely won’t be high paid - but I agree it is interesting - and many will get an MPA or MHA or something in GIS.
You might look at a UGA but the test score will hurt - it’s mandatory - so it’s a reach. Ohio State, Minnesota…Charleston would be a safety and has a program.
I think in that type program - the larger schools will have it - the Mizzou, Ohio State, Minnesota. I’m not even sure looking at UNH that it’s the right school.
Now if Colgate is right or Colby, Cornell, etc. but you need $50K - the trick is finding other schools with a similar program that have merit - so you can afford them. I didn’t look at the curriculum but check out those with this major - Ohio U, U of Denver, U of Cincinnati, Michigan State, Slippery Rock, Kutztown.
It’s important you find the curriculum you want at a school you can afford - especially when it will lead to a low paying job, etc.
For GIS, you might look at Arizona (well known for geography and MIS), Alabama and closer to home SUNY Binghamton - all within budget.
I’m not sure how many small LACs would be expert in the major - but you can look at some - like a St. Lawrence, Wooster, Allegheny, Hobart, and many more that would potentially meet your budget…look at these to see if they might work or not. But $ wise Colgate should be out - unless you want to step up and again, this is likely a low paying degree and / or one that requires grad school - so that should be a part of your equation.
Never fall in love with a school and never consider a school out of budget. That budget figure should be sacred so that you remove emotion as you develop your considerations set.