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2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

249 Ranked Colleges
5,080 Degrees Awarded
$5,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Geology & Earth Sciences is the 101st most popular major in the country with 7,036 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,080 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 249 colleges that offer a degree in geology and earth sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality geology and earth sciences programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the geology and earth sciences program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend MIT is $1,820 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at MIT

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #3 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Northwestern

#3

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $1,145 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Stanford University.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

#4

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UPenn is $4,833 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UPenn

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 249 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #5 spot on the list. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $4,287 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Columbia.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#5 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #5 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,860 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#7

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#9 in overall quality

Princeton University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Princeton also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Princeton is $2,044 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Princeton

#8

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire
#1 in overall quality

Dartmouth College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Dartmouth has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth is $4,830 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dartmouth College Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#9

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
Top 15% in overall quality

University of Florida came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Florida is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UF is in the top on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $4,069 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UF

#10

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
Top 15% in overall quality

Brown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Brown excels when it comes to geology quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $6,684 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Brown University

#11

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,887 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U-M.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at U-M

#12

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#17 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins also took the #17 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,210 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Johns Hopkins University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Johns Hopkins University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#13

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts
#25 in overall quality

Williams College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Williams has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,223 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Williams College

#14

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
Top 20% in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Vanderbilt is in the top on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $6,017 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Vanderbilt University

#15

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Northeastern University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 2 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern also took the #13 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,823 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northeastern.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Northeastern University

#16

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Top 15% in overall quality

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $6,063 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill

Top 15% in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, UW Seattle is in the top on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $7,467 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#18

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#24 in overall quality

University of Wyoming landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, this fairly large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UW also took the #24 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wyoming is $9,200 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UW

#19

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,879 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Purdue

#20

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts
#19 in overall quality

Wellesley College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wellesley, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley College is $4,519 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Wellesley College

#21

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Boston College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Boston College excels when it comes to geology quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Boston College is $8,951 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Boston College Geology & Earth Sciences Report

University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMN Morris is a small public school situated in Morris, Minnesota. It awarded 1 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $3,435 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Minnesota - Morris

#23

William & Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, William & Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. William & Mary is located in Williamsburg, Virginia and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on this list, William & Mary is in the top on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $4,963 for Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at William & Mary

Brigham Young University - Idaho came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. BYU - I is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Idaho is $3,595 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Brigham Young University - Idaho

California State University - Fullerton ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $6,100 for bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Cal State Fullerton Geology & Earth Sciences Report

Rest of the Best 38 in Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 38 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

The City College of New York

New York, New York
#29

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#31

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#35

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas
#36

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#38

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kelvinsong.

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