2026 Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering Schools
[Geological & Geophysical Engineering](/majors/engineering/geoscience-engineering/geological-geophysical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools to find the best return on investment for geological & geophysical engineering students.
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Finding the Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering School for You
The right geological & geophysical engineering school can pay off for years to come. That is why we developed our Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
Read more about our methodology
Customizing Your List
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
See how we build our rankings
2026 Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & geophysical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Geophysical Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Missouri University Of Science And Technology the best value for a degree in geological & geophysical engineering in the United States. Located in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,984, while out-of-state students pay about $33,248. Geological & Geophysical Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Geological & Geophysical Engineering graduates of Missouri University Of Science And Technology earn a median of $74,070 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
University Of Mississippi Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geological & geophysical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of University, University Of Mississippi Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,772, compared with $28,600 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & geophysical engineering graduates is $23,970. Early-career geological & geophysical engineering graduates make about $59,070. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 97%.
Colorado School Of Mines is a great value for students pursuing a degree in geological & geophysical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. Geological & Geophysical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Geological & Geophysical Engineering graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $75,207 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
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Explore other best-value rankings in majors related to Geological & Geophysical Engineering. See all related rankings.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
