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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

19 Ranked Colleges
380 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geology and earth sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Rocky Mountains Region

#1

University of Wyoming

Laramie, Wyoming
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wyoming. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Wyoming is located in Laramie, Wyoming and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

UW did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wyoming is $11,491 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full UW Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. BYU - I is a large school located in Rexburg, Idaho that handed out 6 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

BYU - I did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. It costs about $6,287 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Brigham Young University - Idaho

#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 $48-$75k. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

U of U also took the #3 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $14,501 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend U of U.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

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 $48-$75k list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large school located in Provo, Utah that handed out 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. It costs about $12,466 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend BYU.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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 $48-$75k. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, this large public school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Colorado State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Colorado State University - Fort Collins is $15,927 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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%.

Full Colorado State Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#10 in overall quality

Weber State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Weber State University is a public institution located in Ogden, Utah. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $12,819 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WSU.

Full Weber State University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#7

University of Idaho

Moscow, Idaho
#8 in overall quality

University of Idaho came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Idaho is a public institution located in Moscow, Idaho. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of I, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. It costs about $13,528 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Idaho.

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

#2 in overall quality

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Boulder, Colorado is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 51 students 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 estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado Boulder is $18,979 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#11 in overall quality

University of Northern Colorado ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Greeley, Colorado, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Northern Colorado did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Colorado is $14,403 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Northern Colorado Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#10

The University of Montana

Missoula, Montana
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, The University of Montana did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UM is a medium-sized public school situated in Missoula, Montana. It awarded 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UM is $17,049 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UM

#11

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
#15 in overall quality

Utah State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Logan, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

USU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The yearly cost to attend USU is $13,297 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Utah State University

#12

Fort Lewis College

Durango, Colorado
#12 in overall quality

Fort Lewis College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. FLC is a small school located in Durango, Colorado that handed out 13 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at FLC, the school also landed 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 $15,040 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at FLC

#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Metropolitan State University of Denver did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Metropolitan State University of 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.

MSU Denver also took the #16 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver is $13,849 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver

#19 in overall quality

Utah Valley University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Utah Valley University is a large school located in Orem, Utah that handed out 9 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UVU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Utah Valley University is $9,755 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UVU Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#15

Western Colorado University

Gunnison, Colorado
#13 in overall quality

Western Colorado University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Gunnison, Colorado, this small public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students 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. It costs about $15,866 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Western Colorado University.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Western Colorado University

#16

Boise State University

Boise, Idaho
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Boise State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Boise, Idaho, this large public school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

Boise State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boise State is $16,073 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Boise State

#17

Montana State University

Bozeman, Montana
#6 in overall quality

Montana State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. MSU Bozeman is a fairly large school located in Bozeman, Montana that handed out 35 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU Bozeman also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Montana State University is $19,616 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at MSU Bozeman

#18

Colorado Mesa University

Grand Junction, Colorado
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Colorado Mesa University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k 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 $48-$75k 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 yearly cost to attend Colorado Mesa University is $15,136 for Rocky Mountains Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Colorado Mesa University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#19

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
#18 in overall quality

Idaho State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Rocky Mountains Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Idaho State University is a fairly large school located in Pocatello, Idaho that handed out 7 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

ISU also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Idaho State University is $18,001 for rocky mountains region bachelor’s degree geology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Idaho State University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

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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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