Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

42 Ranked Colleges
723 Degrees Awarded
$15,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” 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 Great Lakes region, there were 951 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 723 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 42 colleges that offered a degree in geology and earth sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geology and earth sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the geology and earth sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Geology & Earth Sciences Schools

The geology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $17,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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 95%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $13,986 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Purdue

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at U-M

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 42 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UIUC Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#20 in overall quality

Out of the 42 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #5 spot on the list. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 2 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, UW - Green Bay has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,395 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#6

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#9 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 9 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

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%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - River Falls

#7

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#12 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 11 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - Stevens Point

#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 18 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#17 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s geology degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $13,253 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Indiana University - Bloomington

#10

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#13 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 19 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire also took the #13 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - Eau Claire

#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

IUPUI also took the #22 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $11,285 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Geology & Earth Sciences Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. This small school is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,327 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UW - Parkside

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large school located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that handed out 8 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Full UW Oshkosh Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#14

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Michigan State is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 21 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $19,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Michigan State University

#15

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#23 in overall quality

Ball State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid list, Ball State has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,147 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend Ball State.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Ball State University

#16

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full GVSU Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#17

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. 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 NIU, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,259 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend NIU.

Full NIU Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#7 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#19

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

Western Michigan University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s geology students in 2019-2020.

WMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Michigan University is $19,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at WMU

#20

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,664 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend Northwestern University.

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. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#21

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,912 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at PFW

#22

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana

With a ranking of #22, Indiana State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Terre Haute, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s geology degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana State University is $13,896 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Indiana State

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 4 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,945 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Geology students with aid per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at SIUC

#24

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. USI is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,437 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid per year to attend USI.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 University of Southern Indiana Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#25

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $15,924 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree geology students with aid.

Full Eastern Michigan Geology & Earth Sciences Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Physical Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You