2027 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Virginia
[Geology & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/geology-and-earth-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for geology & earth sciences students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geology & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geology & Earth Sciences Schools
College Of William And Mary earned the #1 spot for value among geology & earth sciences schools in Virginia. College Of William And Mary is a large public school located in the suburb of Williamsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,734, with out-of-state students paying around $51,038. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $18,935 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from College Of William And Mary generally make around $53,338. Set against $18,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 34% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in geology & earth sciences will find it at James Madison University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,966, compared with $31,312 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,375 to complete the geology & earth sciences program here. Soon after graduation, geology & earth sciences degree recipients from James Madison University generally make around $48,118. That is a strong return on a $22,375 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
A rank of #3 makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University one of the best values for geology & earth sciences. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $23,393 in student loans. Geology & Earth Sciences graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
