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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

19 Ranked Colleges
380 Degrees Awarded
$12,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 7,036 people earned their degree in geology and earth sciences, making the major the 101st most popular in the United States.

Across the Rocky Mountains region, there were 496 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 380 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,111 and $23,874 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geology and earth sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geology and earth sciences programs, but they also cost less that 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

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

#1

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wyoming. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Laramie, Wyoming, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW is $9,200 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UW

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k. BYU - I is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, BYU - I has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $3,595 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full BYU - I Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#3

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Utah. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Utah is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 34 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of U, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Utah is $13,192 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Utah

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Provo. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend BYU is $10,425 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at BYU

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Colorado State is a public institution located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Colorado State also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $11,890 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colorado State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Colorado State

#2 in overall quality

University of Colorado Boulder did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

CU - Boulder also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CU - Boulder is $14,361 for rocky mountains region 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 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CU - Boulder Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Weber State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Ogden, Utah, this large public school handed out 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

WSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $10,980 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WSU.

Full Weber State University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#8

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
#8 in overall quality

University of Idaho ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Moscow, Idaho, this fairly large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

U of I not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U of I is $11,735 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at U of I

#15 in overall quality

Utah State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. USU is a public institution located in Logan, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, USU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Utah State University is $12,034 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at USU

#10

Fort Lewis College

Durango, Colorado
#12 in overall quality

Fort Lewis College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Durango, Colorado is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

FLC also took the #12 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Fort Lewis College is $12,909 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full FLC Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#11

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana
#9 in overall quality

The University of Montana ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Montana is located in Missoula, Montana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $14,314 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The University of Montana.

Full The University of Montana Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#16 in overall quality

Metropolitan State University of Denver came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. MSU Denver is a public institution located in Denver, Colorado. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, MSU Denver has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSU Denver is $12,219 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full MSU Denver Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#13

University of Northern Colorado

Greeley, Colorado
#11 in overall quality

University of Northern Colorado came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Northern Colorado is a fairly large school located in Greeley, Colorado that handed out 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, University of Northern Colorado has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Colorado is $12,736 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Northern Colorado

#14

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Colorado
#13 in overall quality

Western Colorado University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Gunnison, Colorado, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Western, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Colorado University is $14,744 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Western Colorado University

#19 in overall quality

Utah Valley University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Orem, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

UVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Utah Valley University is $8,047 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Utah Valley University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#16

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho
#14 in overall quality

Boise State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boise State is a large school located in Boise, Idaho that handed out 24 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Boise State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Boise State University is $13,146 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Boise State Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#17

Montana State University

Bozeman, Montana
#6 in overall quality

Montana State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bozeman, Montana, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU Bozeman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Montana State University is $16,625 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Montana State University

#18

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado
#17 in overall quality

Colorado Mesa University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Grand Junction, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k list, Colorado Mesa has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Colorado Mesa University is $13,624 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Colorado Mesa

#19

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
#18 in overall quality

Idaho State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ISU is located in Pocatello, Idaho and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

ISU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Idaho State University is $15,639 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Idaho State University

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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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