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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences in California

17 Ranked Colleges
127 Degrees Awarded
$27,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Geology Schools for a Master's in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 Master’s in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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

Across California, there were 848 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 127 geology and earth sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Master’s in California” 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 Master’s in California

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California.

Top 17 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geology & Earth Sciences in California

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

CSULB also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at CSULB

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - San Diego

#3

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Santa Barbara

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree geology students list, UC Davis has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Davis are $28,700, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Davis

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892.

Full California State University - Fullerton Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#15 in overall quality

California State University - Fresno came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno State are $17,581, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at California State University - Fresno

#8 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 6 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Irvine are $28,456.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at University of California - Irvine

#13 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Poly Pomona are $18,377.

Full Cal Poly Pomona Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#9

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s geology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree geology students list, SDSU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full San Diego State University Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#10

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at UC Berkeley

#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

CSUB also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CSUB are $18,437.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#12

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Cruz are $28,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

#14 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geology degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Sacramento are $18,356, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at California State University - Sacramento

#14

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#12 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 2 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also took the #12 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCR are $28,686.

Full University of California - Riverside Geology & Earth Sciences Report

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Cal State LA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Cal State LA

#16

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

Stanford University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #16. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 25 masters’s geology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Geology & Earth Sciences at Stanford University

#17

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#1 in overall quality

California Institute of Technology came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geology Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s geology students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Geology & Earth Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of Technology are $56,649, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Geology & Earth Sciences at Caltech

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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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